Companion for a Cloak
by Kira-Katashi
Summary: Everyone has his own dreams, tasks, goals and expectations to fulfill. Stephen Strange is struggling on his way to become the Sorcerer Supreme as a creature tackles him during a portal travel. Meet the alien cat Kathrin, who now helps Stephen to his full potential alongside with his trusty Cloak of Levitation.
1. failure to a new beginning

Hello out there :)

This is not my first fanfic but this is my first _english_ fanfic. I'll do the warning just once: My native language is german and not english. If I should do a mistake, please correct me. _I'm always happy about follows, favourites and reviews, but who isn't?_

I see a lot of people writing the disclaimer thing, I do that just once:I do not own Dr. Strange just the idea of the OC and the plot around it. The Dr. Strange movie is a part of the MCU.

Enjoy,

Kira

* * *

 _"I'm the hunter - you are the prey - I'm the hunter - you are the prey…" I forgot how long I was chasing the creature in front of me. It's a threat not only to the small ones. It's always just a few meters ahead, jumping through portal after portal trying to lose me. But I am his hunter and always follow through the closing, sparkling circles_ _. The pray damaged so many things, injured many companions and killed even more of us._

 _Our fight isn't about who is stronger, it's about who can carry on longer. We figured out quite early in the chase, that we are equally strong. But I am the hunter,_ **I will not fail.**

* * *

The heavily damaged and almost destroyed sanctums were nearly back in their old shape, like before the battle against Dormammu and the missguided sorcerer Kaecilius. Doctor Stephen Strange had dinner alone in a small restaurant in Hong-Kong after helping to fix the broken floors in the sanctum. With Mordo gone and Wong overseeing the repairs in the New York's sanctum, there wasn't anyone else to talk to, he really knew. Tired he pulled the sling-ring out of his pocket, preparing for the way home.

Stephen never thought anything would happen while he stepped through a portal but today proofed him otherwise. He was on his way to London, his right foot was already touching the shiny stone floor, when something crashed against his shoulder with so much force that he nearly fell - he did not thanks to the cloak but as he tried to see what ran into him something else crashed into his back. Again, his cloak held him upright. Quickly, he pulled his other foot through the aportal.

A grey furball picked itself up and ran around him only to stop when sparkles from a closing portal were vanishing. Stephen held his hands up in a defense position in front of him - no clue what was happening but he was ready to strike if necessary.

Nothing happened.

The furball was quite similar to a cat, but it went a little over his knee, the ears were larger and the long, slim tail ended in small bush of fur. It seemed to be quite frustrated till it turned around and sat down to stare with bright, green eyes up to the face of the sorcerer. The voice from it was more like a smooth melody in the wind of a sunny summer day.

The creature barely moved its mouth to speak:

"You are not my prey, I'm not your hunter. The hunter lost its prey, does the two-legged one know where the hunter's prey went?"

Strange lowered slightly his hands, the cloak rustling on his shoulders: "I didn't see where it went. Who are you?"

It tilted the head confused to the side, not really understanding the question the doctor asked. "The hunter is the hunter. Who is you?"

"I mean, do you -," He tried adjust is speech-pattern to the kind of 3rd-person talk of the cat-like creature:" Does the hunter have a name? I am Doctor Stephen Strange and want to know what the hunter does here?"

"Is a name like a title? I'm the hunter and was trying to get the prey, now I am the resting till I'm the hunter again. The resting has nothing to do with Doctor Stephen Strange but is curious what the title stands for. She never heard this particular title."

Strange thought a moment about how to explain it the best without giving any important information away. The creature - he simply named it cat in his head - didn't look like a threat to him and his cloak wasn't tense, swinging loosely just a little bit from side to side. "Doctor is my title, I can help people to get better. Stephen Strange is my name. The name of a person never changes and is normally given by birth, and titles are earned."

"The resting thinks to understand it. The resting is grateful for Doctor Stephen Strange's explanation. She does not know if she has a name. _Names_ are not used at home."

There was a moment of silence until the cat spoke again: "The resting does not know how to get home. She didn't remember all the portals she had crossed and is not able to open them herself. Can she stay until she knows how to return home? She does not need much and is willing to help if she can."

Dr. Stange considered the pros and cons. Help was needed ( _assuming she can help_ ), allies are always good to have and what damage could she do? His right hand grabbed for the tip of the cloaks collar, silently asking for approval. It didn't refused the idea of letting the cat stay. He made an inaudible sigh, too tired to deal with it he said: "You can stay for the time being, please follow me."

She smiled - as much as a cat can smile - and made a purring sound.

He took her to his temporary room close to the library (the library may not be as big as the one in the Kamar-Taj but it is still a library) and seated her on the sofa. She looked almost like a cat, nearly behaved like a cat - _when you ignore the talking_ \- so he thought it would be fitting.The place is not far away from him, she is under his and his cloak's watch and will be immediately noticed if she tries something funny. She seemed to be content with the sofa cushion. "It's getting late. We'll deal with everything else tomorrow morning."

"The resting is thanking Doctor Stephen Strange again for his hospitality."

He just nodded as a response. The cloak settled itself on the backrest of the sofa, Dr. Stange made a quick stop in the bathroom to change into his sleeping-clothes and laid down in his bed after switching of the lights.

He thought a while about this very unusual day. There were maybe some books about the guest in the library, maybe Wong knows something. Eventually his thoughts went quiet, the only thing hearable was the quiet rustling of the cloak and a small whistling sound from the cat.


	2. her name is Kathrin

Heyho out there, here comes a new chapter. _There were more people looking into this story than I thought it would *hug for everyone*._

A big thanks to **Ardhoniel Marvelite** for the encouragement and for **ChangelingRin** who took her/his (?) time to correct my mistakes in the last guys are awesome!

Kira

* * *

Doctor Strange awoke this morning normally, with the sun shining through the window. The cat was lying peacefully rolled in a ball on the sofa cushion and the cloak had changed its place on the backrest to the cushion next to the occupied one. But as soon as he rustled with his blanket, rising, the head of the cat and the collar of the cloak shot up in attention.

"Good morning Doctor Stephen Strange."

"Good morning"

With a last checking glance at the sofa he disappeared in the bathroom with a fresh pile of clothes. As soon as he left the bath the cloak settled as a familiar weight on his shoulders. Strange brushed gently over the red material and turned to the alien cat.

"We'll go to my friend Wong after a stop in the kitchen. "

"Okey. - What does Wong? The resting never heard the title. The title sounds even weirder than yours"

"Wong is a name not a title"

"Oh"

* * *

It wasn't much for breakfast. A coffee and a sandwich for him, sardines and milk for the cat. The only other sorcerer he saw today just left with a grumbled _morning_ to help with the rebuilding of the sanctums. London was nearly finished, only a little bit dusty and untidy in the edges. Hong-Kong needs new paint on the walls and a bit of cleaning afterwards, but the biggest site was New York: A few of the wooden trusses had to be replaced.

The fish and the milk was gone faster than he could say: _Wong I didn't take the books_. The cat was humming in satisfaction, licking her snout clean: "The resting does not know what Doctor Stephen Strange gave her but it was delicious."

Stange blinked twice in wonder: "That was sardines and milk."

He easily forgot that she isn't truly a cat. She nodded and removed bits of fisch out of her teeth with one of her claws, using it like a toothpick. Finishing his sandwich Stephen putted his cup in the sink to the little tower of used cups - they had to be cleaned another time. Dishwashing or ordering freshly cleaned crockery weren't tasks done voluntarily. These tasks were often used in card games as sort-of punishment for the looser.

With a wave of his hand he motioned the cat to follow him. At the newly replaced front door Strange opened a portal to New York. The cat looked critical at the sparkling ring before stepping one feet after the other through it.

They found Wong upstairs sorting through the artifacts. Most of the glass shards where gone, destroyed artifacts discarded and repairable ones were collected in a box. As they passed the place where the glass case from the cloak was, the cloak pressed itself further onto the shoulders of Strange. The cloak didn't have to worry, the doctor didn't plan to give it back any time soon. He had to rap his mind around the fact that the cloak - an object - had a personality but after his battle against Dormammu he was lucky to have it by his side. The cloak cannot ask him over and over again if he is alright, it's just there for him. Wong stood up and watched the cat skeptically:

"Since when do you have a pet?"

"I don't have a pet. I'm here to ask you if you know what she is. She is sentiment and does not know how to go home but we need to know where she lives so I can bring her back."

Wong thought a moment: "I don't know what she is exactly but I have a few books at the Kamar-Taj about magical animals and creatures from other dimensions. Maybe there are some information in the Ancient One's notes."

The cat brushed her head at Wongs leg: "The resting is grateful for every help she can get. Wong smells nice, reminds the resting of the All-knowing."

Wong made a funny face and ignored her last commend: "She talks about her in the 3rd person?"

Doctor Strange answered: "She does. And we need a permanent name for her, she changes hers depending on the situation."

A call for help let them run out of the room. A few sorcerers tried to change the damaged trusses but they overestimated their strength and now, one was stuck below one. They tried lifting it together but they only reduced a bit of the pressure on the person and didn't got it high enough for the person to crawl out or to be pulled away. The buried sorcerer breathed heavily and grunted in pain. Squeezeing herself right next to the sorcerer the cat started to purr soothingly. Glowing stripes and pattern appeared on her fur. Starting with her paws, she got completely engulfed in the glow – astonished the sorcerers watched her form growing, pushing the truss upwards in the process. They quickly pulled the sorcerer out who was luckily not seriously injured. Nonetheless a pair of twins carried him away. After they ensured the safety of the sorcerer they looked in wonder to the transformed cat. She now went up to the stomach of Doctor Strange, the patterns in white colored swirls all over her body and a few feathers growing in the thick fur on her feet and neck area. She held the truss with her head a bit higher, maneuvered herself slowly beneath it away and putted it down as gently as possible on the ground. The sorcerer turned with questioning glances to Wong and Stephen. Doctor Strange reached slowly a hand out to her and petted her head, one end of the cloak reached up to mirror the movement of its master:

"She'll be helping us a bit until she returns home."

He made a small break

"This is Kathrin."


	3. on a new star

Hey there, I'm back!  
 **KarToon12** : I'm glad you like my story. There will be more information about Kathrin in this chapter.  
To the other readers: enjoy!

* * *

They sat together on Stephen's bed between a pile of books, the cloak on his lap and the cat in front of him. While Stephen skipped through the pages to search for information about his guest, Kathrin looked though a book full of ,,Disney stories". She always stared intently at the picture on a page, taking in as much information in as possible without understanding the text, blinked with her eye, and turned to the next one.  
The last sunrays were nearly gone as she made a stop. It was the illustration of a desert, a human male and a human female in clothing, she didn't saw today, on a flying carpet. Her eyes wandered to the red fabric on Stephen's lap. Carefully stretched she her paw out towards the cloak. Instead of withdrawing, the cloak reached out with his own corner. It was a simple and gentle gesture but had something magical behind it. The interest in each other was mutual. The cloak never encountered on his many travels through the dimensions with his former masters a creature like Kathrin and Kathrin never saw an object so animated, sentiment like the cloak.

For the two the moment seemed to slow down.  
Gone was the reddish glow of the sunset,  
gone was the sound of birds,  
gone were their surroundings.

Kathrin had the feeling of weightlessness, on her fur the brush of a gentle summer breeze. The cloak got a feeling of happiness and security, a quiet humming echoing in the fiber of his material. Kathrin knew she could establish mental connections to other creatures - it makes the communication below the earth easier and didn't risk collapsing tunnels when the echo intensifies but what she had now was something different. Talking with the cloak isn't possible. It's, despite being sentiment, an object. The connection was more of an exchange of impressions, the feelings of memories. Like when someone has a really fuzzy picture of a memory, not recognizable, but still knows that he was happy at that moment.

The drop of Stephens book on the cloak brought them out of their trance-like state. The good Doctor fell asleep while reading. As quiet as possible lifted the cloak the book and rose from his lap to place the book on the nearby shelf, the others were placed on the floor. Kathrin struggled to pull Stephens shoes off but managed to do so after -more or less graceful- opening the shoestrings. The cloak lifted him gently up to bring him into a horizontal position and laid itself over him to function as a blanket but not without brushing the head of Kathrin, sending a feeling of peace.

* * *

Being and actually staying in another dimension was something new and exciting for Kathrin. She was surprised about the friendliness of the so called _,,humans"_. They never had visitors from other dimensions, only heard stories from the All-knowing about the real size of the universe. Everything here was so bright and they could just illuminate dark places with _,,electric bulbs"_. Electricity seemed to be a central part of the human civilization. There were lamps in the corridors, in the rooms, in the fridge and smaller ones on tables like the nightstand besides Stephen's bed, she could even see some while looking through the transparent material humans call _,,glass"_. She had touched it quite a few times until Stephen flashed a light against the material, proving the existence.  
Humans have a language which isn't so far away from basic but they talk about _,,I"_ and _,,you"_ and not just with ,,he, she and it". Kathrin made a mental note to ask Doctor Stephen Strange if he could help her with the language.  
Another mystery for her was the cloak: they had blankets and other fabrics but meeting one with a consciousness was…indescribable. The feeling of weightlessness the cloak showed her was something she dreamed of. There were no heights at home to jump down, no wind to mix up the fur. Hopefully the cloak understood the safety and protected feeling from the All-knowing she wanted to show him as an exchange. The All-knowing makes no differences between age and gender, all are Still-learners to her and everyone can seek her out with questions and problems, she'll always listen.

With the thoughts of home came the worries. She had failed to hunt down the prey with no possibility of finding it again on her own. Hopefully the All-knowing will find her to take her home and she will not be punished for her fail. She glanced at the sleeping human who took her in. Doctor Stephen Strange seemed to be a highly-respected individual here. But as close as he was to his comrades, he also seemed so far and distant to them. She could not pinpoint out why it seemed so, but she'll find it out.

Staring outside up to the stars gave her a strange feeling, they were only a few but still, she saw them, the souls of long-gone comrades. Everyone who leaves live will be a light in the dark to those who follow. But those of her comrades who searched for the stars were never heard of again. That's why no one ever tried to go out again to see them and now she is sitting here, seeing the stars so many tried to find.

Stephen started tossing and turning in his sleep. The cloak huddled itself tighter around him to keep him from falling out of his bed. She approached him carefully and jumped on the edge of the bed. He looked be troubled by something, plagued by nightmares. Shoving the collar of the cloak with her paw a little bit away, Kathrin laid herself on the sorcerers' chest starting to purr quietly. She waited until he calmed down before she let her heavy eyelids drop and be covered by the soft material of the cloak.

* * *

Just a small note: I have now a school-free week (German call them Faschingsferien _carnival-holidays_ ) but I'll be skiing and have no clue if I have internet connection.  
In short: Propably two weeks until the next chapter.


	4. paint against nightmares

I'm back :)

 **KarToon12** : I'm really happy that you enjoyed my last chapter, but I have to disappoint you that I wont reveal anything specific about the prey, at least not now.

Any thought about who the prey could be?

Kira

* * *

The nights after the fight with Dormammu were filled with nightmares. He always saw the horrid face of the monster and had the feeling of dying over and over again. ,,Dormammu, I have come to bargain."  
,,Dormammu, I have come to bargain."  
,,Dormammu, I have come…"  
,,Dormammu, I…"  
,,Dormammu..."  
,,Dormammu."  
 _Dormammu_  
His tries blurred together. The count of deaths stopped after the seventh time, he just repeated the ordeal, knowing that failure isn't a possible ending.

Stephen was waiting to awake covered in sweat and a racing heart as every night but as he opened his eyes there was only a small pressure on his chest and the warmth of the first rays of the sun. Looking down he was greeted with the sight of Kathrin sleeping on his chest and the cloak draped upon them functioning as a blanket. Kathrin was snoring quietly and had her paw entangled in his sleep-shirt.  
He secured Kathrin with his left hand to his chest and arose slowly. The cloak flew off him and Kathrin just made a small huffing sound. Looking around he searched for a place to put her down. Maneuvering carefully around the mess of books he wanted to place her on the sofa again but the cloak tapped on his shoulder and reached with his ends out to take over the sleeping cat.

So the cloak took over and the Doctor made himself ready for the day.

The cloak started to rub Kathrin's fur in order to wake her up but she just started purring in her sleep. It liked the small vibration echoing in the fiber of its material - for it, it was the equivalent of a hummed human melody. Eventually Kathrin had to be up so the cloak started shaking her. She rose her head half asleep and started grooming her fur and started liking over the cloak's red material which causes it, under the unfamiliar feeling, to shudder. Rapidly blinking she looked to the cloak and turned shyly away and jumped out of the "arms" of the cloak.

Stephen came back in the room an revealed the plans for the day: „The trusses in the sanctum are repaired so we'll repaint the walls today. When we are fast all sanctums will only need to be cleared of dust and a bit tidying and then we're completely finished tomorrow. Sadly I haven't found anything out about you Kathrin."  
She replied: „It is alright Doctor Stephen Strange. Kathrin understands, she have not found anything in the books either. The All-knowing will have to find Kath- me."  
,,Can you tell me who the All-knowing is?"  
,,The All-knowing is the oldest and wisest of us – and taller than twenty of Protectors combined. She takes care of all of us and is the only one who can grand someone the power of dimension-crossing. So if I want to go back, the All-knowing has to lead me because Kathrin is completely untrained, Kat- I just followed the prey."  
Stephen nodded ,,So the All-knowing is basically the leader of your species?"  
,,Leader like in someone to follow or like someone who rules over everything? We follow her because we want to – we protect her, the All-knowing protects us. The last one who ruled brought a catastrophe over us, destroyed the surface of our once beautiful land."  
She was angry. Gone was the happy personality of Kathrin like someone switched of a light. It was kind of terrifying how dangerous she know looked – a predator ready to strike.

The walk through the sanctum was filled with a pregnant silence. Her expression started to soften as they began to hear the chatter of the other sorcerers. As they reached the small group, already dressed up for painting, Kathrin was back in her normal cheery-personality. They gave Stephen an apron to cover up his clothes and made a hat out of an old newspaper for Kathrin with two holes for her ears.

The painting of the walls got messy real quick. One sorcerer accidently painted on the back of another while turning around and a paint war was ensured. The cloak went somewhere else - not wanting to be covered in colours - and Stephen went into a corner away from the fight. He got used to the other sorcerers but he didn't really try to socialize with the others. Before the Dormammu incident, he was engulfed in his studies, now he was trying to sort out his emotional mess – and he wasn't very social to begin with. People adored his work as a neurosurgeon, his work was well-known but no one cared for himself. Palmer was the only one who tried to get to know him and even she was pushed away by him.

Kathrin saw him standing alone in the corner painting abstractedly the wall. She took the handle of her own little pot of paint and went to him. Sitting nearly on Stephens feet she put her front-paws into the paint and started so smear her paws on the lower part of the wall. Stephen gave her a small smile and looked now a little bit happier.

It was the start of a chain-reaction. The paint war slowed down and sorcerer after sorcerer stopped, gave a friendly smile to Stephen - sometimes a pat on the shoulder -, and painted alongside him. He may be not the most social person, but he isn't alone in the sanctum. Even the cloak came back after noticing his sad mood, carefully picking up a nearly clean brush, and painted parts of the upper wall.

They were finished before dinner. Stephen went with cat and cloak back to his room to change into clean clothes. Kathrin got a sponge bath to get the colour-freckles out of her fur, making her hair standing up in odd ankles, and the very few, small ones the cloak had were easily rubbed of. Normally Stephen went for dinner into the kitchen, grabbed a few things and went back to his room. But as he saw the other sorcerers sitting together in the dining room laughing and talking he mustered up his courage and sat down next to them and was greeted happily.

* * *

Have a nice day everyone, I'm going to watch Logan.


	5. just as old as her shop

If you happy and you know it klapp your hand!  
I had a good week: the ff cover finished, full points in my english classtest and a school trip to a planetarium today. Hopefully your week was nice as mine otherwise I hope that your next week will be better.  
There will be different film-references in this chapter, nothing major, promise.

 **KarToon12** : My impression of the sorceres in the film was that they use magic often for travelling but not so much in their everyday life, they use it more like a shield not like a tool, but I could be wrong. And you are so fast with your reviews! Thank you Speedy Gonzales.

 **Tira-kun** : Thank you for the compliment :)

The cloak needs a character tag, is there a way to suggest this?  
Kira

* * *

With the sanctums now fully repaired there was nothing else to occupy Stephen's dark thoughts even during the day. He lost so much because of his arrogance: his job, his trusty, steady hands, his friends – his chance of having friends, Christine.  
With a click his broken watch was fasten around his wrist.  
In addition to that, the loss of the Ancient One and the emotional scarring from Dormammu were taking the toll on him. Most of the sorcerers probably want him to be the next Sorcerer Supreme as the one who successfully controlled the eye of Agamoto, but he isn't the right man for the job.  
A Sorcerer Supreme should be in control of his emotion and focused on his job, he should be open for every problem of everyone – he barely interacts with anyone here, the meal together yesterday was a major improvement for him and is nothing he does on a regular basis.  
With one last glance to the sofa at the sleeping Kathrin he signaled the cloak to look out after her. Stephen needed a moment alone to get a hold on his emotions. He quietly closed the door and opened a portal to an alleyway next to a small café, just half an hour away from the sanctum, to get a small breakfast.

* * *

As soon as the door was closed Kathrin's head shot up again. She had watched the pained expression of Stephen and wondered what lies so heavily on the soul of the human. Kathrin had the urge to help him. Who should know better about Stephen's feelings than his trusty cloak? ,,Can you tell Kathrin what troubles the mind of Doctor Stephen Strange?"  
It made a rustling sound and Kathrin noticed her mistake: ,,Right, you can not talk, but you know what bothers Doct- him?"  
The cloak nodded with its collar. ,,Do you think there is something we can do?"  
It declined the question. She breathed heavily out. ,,We will find a way, I know it – somehow. What shall we do?"  
The cloak shrugged. ,,The cloak is so helpful today, is it not?"

They started with leaving the room.

* * *

Stephen was sipping on a cup of tea, just finishing his roll, when Wong came around and sat down on the chair beside him. ,,Morning Doctor, are you alright?"  
,,Hello Wong. I am"  
He knew Wong wasn't convinced but the fellow sorcerer didn't ask further questions regarding his well-being: ,,All sorcerers will meet at 3pm, London time, at the Kamar-Taj to discuss what is happening now."  
Stephen nodded. ,,Want a tea or coffee too?"  
,,No, thank you. I'll bring the damaged artifacts to a friend of mine for repairing. Want to come along?"  
Stephen thought for a moment. He was nearly finished with his tea and needed distraction from his own thoughts – why not going with Wong?  
,,I'll come with you when you wait a moment." He paid and went with Wong into the alleyway and into a portal to the sanctum.  
On the way to pick up the boxes with the artifact they found the cloak and Kathrin chasing each other through the halls.  
They ended up following them.

With the cloak back on the shoulders of Strange, both sorcerers with two boxes each in their arms and Kathrin stood in a fully packed antique shop.  
Wong called out: ,,Lisa, are you here?"  
They heard a crash. ,,One moment, one moment, not so hasty."  
A woman in her, maybe 60s, appeared. Her once dark brown hair had white in it and was hold together in two buns princess Leia would have worn. What surprising was, was her height. She was a little bit taller than Stephen!  
,,Wong, isn't that quite much and who is your companion?"  
,,We were lucky, that so much is repairable. This is Doctor Stephen Strange."  
,,Yea, yea, just give them to me – no wait – put them over there." She pointed somewhere deeper into the shop. They placed the boxes on an old desk. As they turned around the lady started to squeal. She had spotted Kathrin.  
,,Aren't you a cute looking creature?" Without any warning, she hoisted the unhappy hissing Kathrin up in her arm and started to rub her face into the fur. Kathrin went completely stiff until she started to wiggle her way out of the grasp.  
Surprised by the sudden movement Lisa let go of her and she fled behind the legs of Stephen, showing her sharp teeth. ,,She's a pretty one. Where do you get her? Where is her collar? Can I keep her?"  
Stephen held his hands up in a defensive position. ,,Kathrin is not my pet-"  
,,So I can keep her?"  
,, - No. She is a living creature who understands you perfectly and can communicate with you."  
,,How can that be, isn't she a cat?"  
Kathrin started speaking: ,,When you refer to the creatures like in _Aristocats_ , I am not such. Kathrin's kind does not have a specific name, but we are not part of the race "cat"."  
,,She really talks. Wong can you please answer me how that can be."  
Growling Kathrin tried to get Lisa's attention: ,,She understands you fine, don't talk like I am not here."  
,,Come on you two, that has to be one of your magic tricks. There are no talking animals"  
Kathrin's expression changed from a shocked one to an angry one. ,,Are you insulting my race. I feel deeply insulted!"  
Now Kathrin was really pissed off. She understood that humans were not familiar with her race, deny her existence and her ability to speak goes too far. Language is a sign for intelligence! Everyone who can learn to speak can learn knowledge.  
Before she could have done something harsh two gentle hands wrapped around her stomach and her hind feet to pull her up. It was a strong contrast to the ones of this mean, female human. Kathrin found herself in the arms of Stephen who excused himself and left the shop through a portal.

He let her down on the sofa back in his room. She looked out of the window with a sad expression on her face.  
,,Are you ok?"  
Kathrin overwent his question. ,,Will all humans outside of the sanctum react like this one?"  
He rubbed his neck. ,,Usually people will try to pet you, she was a bit extreme, but they can freak out when they realize that you understand them and communicate with them."  
,,Can Doctor Stephen Strange-"  
,,Just Stephen."  
,,-can Stephen explain Kathrin what the reason for this behavior is? _Aristocats_ was fine too, or _finding_ _nemo_. They are talking."  
Stephen sat down beside her, the cloak stretched over his lap with an end touching her fur, trying to send a soothing feeling. ,,Those are stories, made up by humans. People will mistake you for a cat because you look like one and those aren't able to talk. On earth are humans the only ones who have fully developed languages. You are for them a cat so they don't expect you to talk."  
,,Ok."  
Kathrin slipped closer to Stephen who started to pet her head, the cloak now covering her like a blanket. ,,The mean human asked why I would not have a collar, what is a collar?"  
,,Cats or dogs have collars, a band with an information tag rapped around the neck, so if they got lost, a human can bring them back."  
,,Can Kathrin have one? I mean, I do not know my way around and if all humans react like the mean one today I do not want to talk to another – I could not ask for directions."  
He was puzzled, it wasn't unusual for animals to hate their collars and now Kathrin was asking for one, but he understood what she was implying. ,,I can get you one, if you want to have one."  
,,Mhm."  
He looked through the cracks in the glass of his wristwatch. They had about two hours 'till the meeting starts.

Two wonderful, peacefully hours.


	6. Supreme Sorcerer's collar shopping

Hey ho there!  
I repeat my question from the last chapter: is there a way to suggest a charactere tag for the cloak? Is it even possible to do so?  
Anyway, happy reading.

 **KarToon12** : You have no clue how happy you make me. I upload chapters in the evening and when I awake in the morning your response is already there. A virtual hug for you :).

* * *

Before the two hours were fully over, someone knocked at the door. It was Wong who apologized for Lisa's offensive behavior earlier towards Kathrin but she just smiled and said that it was all right. They went together to the Kamar-Taj and found a place to sit at the backyard stairs.  
It was a good Idea to make the meeting outside. There wasn't a room big enough inside the Kamar-Taj to fit all attending sorcerers into one.

The meeting itself went as Stephen expected: The main discussion was about who would be the new Sorcerer Supreme with him being the most voted candidate. Other than that, Kathrin was officially introduced to everyone and the sorcerers will continue with protecting earth from other dimensional threats.

Despite Stephens protest against being the Sorcerer Supreme, the majority wanted him and saw him capable of holding the title. As Stephen objected to be too unexperienced they saw reason to not throw him directly into the job, instead they also gave him the affix _in training_ with Wong and Master Hamir as his _trainers_ and the new respective sanctum-keepers to support him.

Wong and Hamir were kindly enough to leave him alone after the meeting, with his start being next Monday – three days from now on. Back in the London Sanctum, Stephen tried to sleep after barely eating a slice of bread. After an hour of tossing and turning he gave up and took a long shower to get his mind cleared up. As he emerged from the bath the cloak and Kathrin were waiting for him.

,,Can we get a collar for me?"

He was thankful for the distraction. Stephen went to his wardrobe, pulled out a pair of dark jeans and a white shirt and disappeared again in the bathroom for five minutes. He didn't want to be too eye-catching in his sorcerer attire, so the cloak laid itself over his arm instead of his shoulders. Due to the time, they went shopping in New York where is was afternoon instead of evening. Before they went through the portal into the NY sanctum Stephen told Kathrin to stick very close to him and to not speak in public but that was a point, she didn't need to be reminded of.

They went out of the door onto the Bleecker Street. Stephen had no clue of where to find a shop for animal accessory so they just went to the left and took a few turns to find one.

* * *

Kathrin stared around in awe, everything was so huge! She went closer to Stephens legs so she would get lost. Those driving, metal tin-cans were especially scary up close – loud, noisy, stinky, and not only these smelled strong. The humans too had sometimes an undefinable smell that didn't fit to them. A female with an animal – brown, slim and smaller that her – had it on a leathery band that started to bark as they walked past it which was responded with a hiss of her. Because of that Stephen stopped:  
,,Should I carry you?"  
She nodded and found herself up safe in the arms of the Doctor. It made her surroundings less overwhelming. From there she could look into _shops_ were humans could _buy_ things. Wouldn't be easier to just share food and work? The money system didn't make sense to her. Her whole city experience could be described as huge, overwhelming, and senseless.

Kathrin wasn't sure how long they were already walking through the streets of New York as they found a fitting shop. Stephen whispered to her to wait outside in the alley as long as he was inside. The shop was dominated by white, brown and green and a smell the smell of animal food. On a wall in the back were various kinds of collars and leashes in every colour imageable. A human in dark green clothing and short blond hair approached and asked if he could help.  
,,Yes, I need a collar for my cat, something simple."  
,,Do you have any specific colour in mind?"  
Stephen thought for a moment. ,,More darker colours but not black."  
,,Please wait a moment."  
The man picked five different collars out: A very dark blue and a purple thin one, a little bit thicker brown one and a thick turquois one. The last one caught the cloak's attention: it was thick with a golden clasp in a deep red colour matching its material. Carefully, to not alarm the shop assistant, it pulled lightly at Stephens jeans. Stephen did a quick look down and understood what the cloak wanted to tell him.  
He picked the red one. ,,Do you also sell tags?"  
,,We do. Do you want a capsule or a classic, engraved one?"  
,,A classic one."

As Stephen went out of the shop with a small plastic bag, Kathrin was sitting were he had left her, her had swinging to the music street musician at the other side of the street. On their way back, they bought a sushi-fish-box and Stephen explained a few things quietly to Kathrin like the different vehicles, shops and buildings.

* * *

When they were sitting on the sofa in Stephen's room it was nearly midnight.  
,,I hope you like our choice for your collar."  
With those words, he got it out of the plastic bag and putted it around Kathrin's neck. The round, golden tag shined in the dim light of the room. In the front was the sign of the New York Sanctum engraved, at the back stood her name plus the phone number and email of Stephen. He decided against an address because it would be different depending on in which sanctum they were in.

Balancing on the sink in the bathroom Kathrin looked proudly in the mirror at her reflection. With a good calculated jump, she landed on the shoulders of Stephen and started to lick happily over his hair and goatee. Awkwardly he pulled his head to the side and tried to gently stop Kathrin, the cloak rustling like it would laugh. It wasn't save of her gratitude either. On the sofa, Kathrin started to groom the cloak too with now Stephen to be the chuckling one.

Now in proper sleeping clothes he tried to sleep again. He simply stared at the ceiling, his worries coming back in full force. After a rather loud sigh the cloak laid itself beside him and a quiet mew let him watch at side of his bed, Kathrin was sitting at the side of the bed. He scooted a bit to the side and Kathrin jumped on his bed.

With the cloak in his right arm and a purring Kathrin in his left the sleep finally overtook him.


	7. a next step mail

Hey ho,  
new chapter is up. I uploaded the fanfiction cover on my deviantart page (same name: Kira-Katashi) and made a folder were I will put scetches for CfaC in the future.

 **KartToon12** : Yes, Kathrin will help Stephen a bit with his training, but Wong and Hamir are going to mostly train him. She is more of a moral supporter and Christine comes into the mix too.

* * *

The following day stretched itself out like a very chewy bubblegum. There wasn't much Stephen could do beside reading and eating, he had no tasks to do. Kathrin and the cloak had no idea either. But those two ended up roaming around in the halls, going into every room they could find which wasn't locked - they met a few surprised faces along the way when they stumbled upon an occupied room but nothing really exiting happened.

While the two of them left no door closed, Stephen sat in front of his computer staring at the same word since over half an hour.

 _,,I know I didn't treat you right Christine, but I…"  
_  
He wanted to say that he had changed to the better, that she was right that the hand-injuries weren't the end, that he wants to apologize to her face-to-face, that he got the title Sorcerer Supreme _in training_. He wanted to tell her about his worries, about the joy he found.  
He wanted to tell her how much he misses her.  
But everything he wrote down got deleted over and over again.

 _,,I know I didn't treat you right Christine, but I…"_

The words seem to mock him. He faced Dormammu, survived him, forced him to retread. Stephen had his nightmares but he did it and got better at coping with it every day. Facing Christine seemed to him like an impossible task, just as scary and huge like looking at Dormmamu again.

Stephen didn't know how much time had passed as cloak and Kathrin came back into the room. The cloak rapping around his shoulders, Kathrin jumping on his lap and looking interested to on the laptop screen.  
,,What is Doctor Stephen Strange doing? Those signs are used for communication, is Kathrin right?"  
Stephen was relieved that Kathrin wasn't able to read it jet: ,,You are right, if you want to, I can teach you them."  
,,Can Doctor Stephen Strange also teach Kathrin the human's way of talking?"  
,,I can do that."

He led Kathrin trough a portal in front of the door to the library at the Kamar-Taj. They briefly saw Wong as they entered but he made a short greeting and went somewhere else leaving the three of them alone. Stephen found surprisingly a first-grader learn-book in a darker corner and laid it down on one of the desks in the middle. The seating arrangement was the same as before: The cloak on Stephen's shoulders and Stephen sitting with Kathrin on his lap.  
He started: ,,We have twenty-six different letters, each one of them in _big_ and _small_ – capital letters and lowercase letters. Big letters are used at the beginning of a sentence and for names otherwise are the small letters mostly used."  
Kathrin nodded and they spend the next hours going through the complete alphabet together.

It was Wong who ordered them out of the library, they had done enough training for the day. On their way back Kathrin thanked Stephen for the lesson with a genuine smile. The likewise smiling Stephen scooped Kathrin up in his arms and rubbing her fur with her purring in response. Stephen's growling stomach reminded them to get some food so they swung by the kitchen to get something to eat before going back into Stephen's room. But Master Hamir stopped them in the halls, wanting to talk to Stephen alone because of his Sorcerer Supreme training starting tomorrow. He put Kathrin down and sent Cloak and Kathrin alone back in his room.

Back in the room Kathrin saw the laptop dark but still open on the desk. Kathrin jumped curious on the chair and placed her paw on the field, just like Stephen did with his finger and the screen lid up. Staring at the screen she deciphered the sentence on the screen:

 _,,I know I didn't treat you right Christine, but I…"_

Surprised Kathrin turned to the cloak: ,,Who is Christine?"  
The cloak flew to the nightstand and laid Stephen's broken wristwatch he forgot to take on, beside the laptop face-down.  
She deciphered the engravings and asked the cloak again: ,,Is Christine the lover of Doctor Stephen Strange?"  
It made an unsure move.  
,,But Doctor Steph- he really likes Christine."  
The cloak nodded.

An idea popped up in Kathrin's head. She looked around the screen and deciphered everything. She murmured ,,Human's send messages with that." more to herself than to the cloak and started with her plan. She found Stephen's old deleted messages as she clicked on a symbol which looked like the thing standing under the desk and learned that Christine's full name is Christine Palmer and that Stephen tried multiple times to write her, always a little bit different but every time the same intention: He wants to meet her again, apologize and restore a broken friendship.

Kathrin now knew how she could help Stephen.

Taking a deep breath she began. Using her claws to maneuver accurate over the keyboard, she deleted one Stephen's tries and started to write an e-mail on her own, always checking with the cloak if the wording is okay.

* * *

 _KATHRIN wants to greet CHRISTINE PALMER._

 _I saw DOCTOR STEPHEN STRANGE'S struggles to write a message to you and am now helping him. HE is upset and too insecure to send you any of his tries. DOCTOR STEPHEN STRANGE wants to see CHRISTINE PALMER again but he knows that he was not nice to you and does not know how to approach you. CAN CHRISTINE PALMER contact him to make a meeting, DOCTOR STEPHEN STRANGE needs all help he can get at the moment._

 _HAVE a good day.  
KATHRIN and the CLOAK_

* * *

Reading thrice over the end result with the approval of the cloak Kathrin sent the message. Carefully closing the laptop, she jumped down from the chair. Together with the cloak she nestled herself on the sofa waiting for the arrival of Stephen.

It wasn't much later but as Stephen stepped into the room Kathrin was sound asleep tangled in the material of the cloak. He made himself ready to sleep as quiet as possible and laid down with a ,,good night" towards the never really sleeping cloak who winked with his collar to wish him also a good night.


	8. emotionless with a glimmer of hope

Hey ho, I'm back.  
On deviantart is a scetch to chapter 2 online.  
I'm especially curious what you think about this chapter, I rewrote it twice to make something that satisfies me. It'll be emotion-heavy - you're warned.

 **Katoon12** :You found me on deviantart too :) I'm not sure if I should upload this ff there too... You are a pretty good artist yourself!

* * *

The sleep wasn't too bad, the nightmares not so cruel as normally but as Stephen awoke he had a feeling of dread. It was like being back in school when you awoke in the morning of an important test and you know you haven't studied for that like you should have had. But the more he thought about it the less it mattered. He stared at the ceiling. It was plain, blank of every decoration, just as blank as his thoughts.

Where worries had consumed his brain, was nothing.  
Where nightmares of Dormammu troubled his brain, was nothing.  
Where uncertainty ruled his brain, was nothing.  
His innermost was stripped of any kind of emotional response.

He turned his head to the side. Kathrin laid curled into the cloak on the sofa, making a sound between a soft snoring and a purr, even the cloak seemed like it was sleeping. Without any thinking he reached out with his hand, trying to touch the fur of the cat. Stephen grabbed thin air. Trying again he stretched a bit further, not even halfway to the sofa, his hand shaking. With a small thud his hand fell limp onto the wooden floor.

* * *

Wong stood reluctant in front of Stephen's room. It wasn't really late but still too late for Stephen. Normally he rose early just to disappear in one of the libraries if he isn't needed somewhere else. It was even worse that before the death of the Ancient One, he barely went to the combined training classes. Wong was wary of Kathrin, she is something unknown, but he can't deny how much she helped Stephen in the past few days. Stephen went out voluntarily, worked with the other sorcerers together and ate with them together. He opened up more. Kathrin was like a bright light, catching everyone's attention and Stephen had security in her shadow and still wasn't left out in the community. When he felt confident he could leave Kathrin's shadow and she made place for him. She was somewhat of a buffer between society and the withdrawn Dr. Strange.

Wong knocked at the door. ,,Stephen are you awake?"  
,,I am."  
,,I come in."  
As he entered Stephen was still in his bed and Kathrin was rubbing her face with her paw. ,,Wong can I have a truthful answer?"  
,,Yes, why?"  
,,Can I be a good Sorcerer Supreme?"  
Wong made a deep-drawn sigh. ,,You can be. But you cannot be one by doing nothing. Kathrin come with me, let Stephen get dressed."  
She looked uncertain between Wong and Stephen back and forth but he made a hand gesture to her to go on. With a last glance back she followed Wong out of the room.

After closing the door Wong kneeled down to Kathrin. ,,I'll need Stephen in the next few hours. You can use the library or I make you a portal to the backyard at the Kamar-Taj. "  
,,Can not I stay with Dr. Stephen Strange?"  
,,Maybe in the next few days but now master Hamir and I have to talk to him _alone_." Kathrin looked unconvinced in Wong's face but backed down and disappeared in the hallway.

Stephen appeared after ten minutes fully dressed out of his room and went after Wong who guided him to a room down the hallway, inside master Hamir waiting. He sat down on a large cushion and Wong and Hamir started with his first lesson. It included the basics: What was expected of him? What has he to do? What changes for him? As the Sorcerer Supreme he was the leading figure and nothing is done without his consent. It is expected from him to be open to all sorcerers and have an eye on the training plans. He has to look out for visitors from other dimensions – friends and enemies alike – and speaks to them as the representative of earth and he has to look out for undiscovered dimensions in general. During the speech of the two Stephens chest got tighter with every minute like someone wants to crush his torso, he just wanted this lesson, this responsibility forced upon him, to be over. It was about three and a half hours later as Hamir ended the lesson for the day.

His first priority was to escape this feeling. In the small bathroom in his room he splashed cold water in his face and looked up into his mirror – a mistake. Hunted, scared eyes looked back. Frustrated Stephen braced his hands strongly on the sink to stop them from shaking. The cloak left Stephens shoulders to remove his hands from the sink with its corners just to engulf him in a hug. A tear fell down Stephen's cheek.

His world shattered into pieces after his accident.  
The Anciend One helped him building something new out of the debris.  
The death of this wise woman shook his new world in its core.  
Dormammu destabilized it further.

And now it was in pieces again.

He wasn't even a year in the sanctums. He never had any contact to magic before, was never social to begin with and now they wanted him to be the Sorcerer Supreme. The highest magical and most respected individual.

He was broken and he knew that, there was no denying it.

The cloak pulled him off the floor and sat him down on the sofa. It took his blanked from the bed and rapped him up in it. With a _wait a minute_ gesture it left the room and came back with Kathrin and a hot cup of tea. Kathrin, who had worry written all over her face jumped wordless onto his lap and squeezed herself into his blanket, purring soothingly.

Stephen started so calm down, wrapped up like a mummy, with Kathrin purring on his chest, the cloak over him and a hot tea in his, less shaking, hand.

* * *

He nearly let his tea drop as his phone started ringing.  
Fighting a bit with his blanket, his got it out of his pants and nearly dropped it too in the process.

 _Christine._

He read it again.

 _Christine._

The name was still there. Uncertain he pushed the green button and held it up to his ear. ,,Hello?" Stephen was relieved that his voice still sounded normal and not so broken like he felt.  
,,Hello Stephen, here is Christine. Who is Kathrin?"  
He was dumbfounded for a moment. ,,How do you know about her?"  
,,She wrote me an email."  
He looked to Kathrin who sat now on his lap. ,,How did she wrote you an email? She is barely a week here from another dimension and is a cat-like creature."  
,,Ok, should I ask?...The capital letters are completely wrong set and the mode of expression is unusual."  
It was a moment of silence.  
,,Do you have time the day after tomorrow in the evening?"  
,,…I think so."  
,,Meet at the café at 4:30pm."  
,,Chris-"  
Christine had hung up before he could finish. Wary he put Kathrin beside him and stood up to fetch his laptop. In his send emails was one he didn't write. Christine was right, the capitalization was wrong but the language style was 100% Kathrin. Every word after a point and every name was completely written in capital letters. The cloak was mentioned at the end, turning to it he asked: ,,You helped?"  
It wobbled. Before he could say anything else Kathrin spoke up: ,,We wanted to help you and the cloak and Kathrin figured out that Christine is a good friend of Stephen's. Friends help. Doctor Stephen Strange is so sad."  
He waited with his reply, Kathrin looking guiltier every second.  
,,I appreciate your try but don't go through my personal belongings, these are mine and mine alone. How did you use my laptop anyway?"


	9. restoring what was broken

Hey ho,  
hope you had a nice week so far.  
Where do you think this story will lead to - I mean I dropped clued everywhere and I have an ending for this story but I'm interested in your thoughts.

 **KarToon12** : Thank you again for your response :)

* * *

The day had ended as peacefully as possible in Stephen's situation. They had moved from the sofa to the window with tuna sandwiches as dinner. Slowly the streets got a bit calmer and a few stars started to shine at the cloudless city-sky.  
,,Why is Doctor Stephen Strange so sad?"

,,Kathrin wants to help Stephen."  
He looked away from Kathrin: ,,It's too much, everyone expects too much from me. I am no Sorcerer Supreme."  
,,Doctor Stephen Strange is someone to follow. A Sorcerer Supreme is someone to follow. I enjoy following you."  
,,You furball." He took her on his lap and ruffled her fur, making the pelt look like it exploded. Kathrin slipped out of his hold and jumped on his shoulders to stroke her paw through Stephen's hair the same way. The cloak shook on Stephen's shoulders like it would laugh, catching the attention of cat and sorcerer. He pulled it off his shoulders and squeezed the material together with Kathrin in his arms.  
,,Thank you, you two."  
Both of them snuggled deeper into his embrace.

* * *

As Stephen awoke in the morning the feeling of uneasiness was still there, but he collected himself and made him ready for the day. When Wong came to pick him up Kathrin and the cloak stayed in the room. On Stephen's schedule for today were the timetables of the younger sorcerers or rather the sorcerers with less training experience.

When the door fell shut Kathrin started to think about what she and the cloak could do. As she asked the cloak it shrugged. Looking around for something to do Kathrin found stains from the sandwiches on the cloak's material. Taking a floating end of the cloak carefully with her teeth she pulled it down until it laid on the floor, standing upon it. As Kathrin started to lick the crumbs out, the cloak started to tremble under her rough tongue.  
,,Hold still. It's hard to get them out when the cloak shakes like this."  
It stiffed and slowly relaxed, stopping to move. Finished after ten minutes she flipped the cloak around, got a few other crumbs out and stepped with a satisfied expression off the cloak.  
Now it was the turn of the cloak. It hoisted Kathrin up and started petting her resulting her purring in the process. Kathrin trusted the cloak, it's nice. Nicer than anyone she know before.

The others at home respect her, but it's due to her superior strength not because they really like her. She's one of the few with wide over the average what makes her one of the closest to the All-Knowing in order to protect her. The All-Knowing is the guardian of their culture and knowledge with the magic to sustain the life underground. She caught her thought wandering towards her failure – no, she'll not worry. When something would have happened the All-Knowing would've called her back.

* * *

Stephen's head was buzzing as he finished his lesson about the lessons of others. With one hand rubbing his temples he opened the door and found Kathrin sitting on his bed bend over a book with the cloak hovering over her. Stuttering a bit she read the story Aladin out loud. He waited a few minutes leaning at the door case until he announced his presence. Looking surprised Kathrin stormed with the cloak to him.  
,,How was Stephen's lesson?"  
,,It was alright."  
She rubbed her head against his leg in affection and the cloak settled itself on his shoulders - how fast he got used to the extra weight on his shoulders.

With a glance at his wristwatch he saw shockingly that he had only half an hour to prepare himself for his meeting with Christine. Switching his clothes in hurry to normal jeans and dark shirt he was finished in just a few minutes. He turned to the door but stopped. He looked back to cloak and Kathrin, to the door and back to cloak and Kathrin. With a huff he grabbed with one hand the cloak with the other Kathrin and left with them.

* * *

Christine was too early as she sat down in the café a few block away from her flat. There weren't many other customers, an old couple in the corner and a few loners here and there. The waiting time wasn't long. Just five minutes later she could saw Stephen coming. Besides his height he had this way of walking she would recognize everywhere, a mixture of grace and assertiveness but it lacked the usual arrogance. He was casual clothed in jeans and shirt with something red draped over his arm – she assumed the cloak she already had the pleasure of getting to know – and a furry, cat-like animal at his heels. After a greeting he sat down and neither of them spoke. It was Christine who broke through the silence. ,,I assume that this is Kathrin?"  
,,Yes, this is Kathrin."  
Silence again.  
,,How did she wrote the email?"  
Stephen looked down to Kathrin who sat at their feet. ,,Kathrin how did you wrote the email?"  
Her eyes darted to the other people in the café. It took him a moment but he understood what she wanted to tell him. Stephen looked for himself if someone paid attention and gave Kathrin an ok to speak.  
,,Kathrin's paws are to large, so Kathrin had to use the claws to push those fields with the Alphabet on them. Had to try it multiple times – missed quite often."  
Kathrin got a _what the hell_ look from Christine. ,,Did the cat just _spoke_?"  
Stephen scratched the back of his head. ,,Kathrin isn't exactly a cat. She is from another dimension and has the ability to speak and shift into another, bigger form."  
Christine collected her bearing. ,,Ok, ok. Can you explain to me what happened when you came storming into the hospital with this bald woman?"

With this Stephen tried to explain everything the best he could – magic, his studies, Dormammu. During the conversation Kathrin had jumped on the lap of Christine to keep her calm. Stephen only started stuttering as he began with his training to be Sorcerer Supreme but he kept going. ,,So all this time gone you trained magic, you fought a very dangerous monster from another dimension and you should now be the leader of this cult?"  
,,Basically."  
Christine rubbed the bridge of her nose. With a careful voice Stephen started speaking again. ,,If it is hard to believe I could show you the things I told you about."  
,,Not now. It's hard to take everything in. Later. Maybe."

The café wanted to close so they had to leave. Stephen walked Christine back till the door from the skyscraper where her flat was. ,,You know where you can find me Christine. See you."  
He turned around to leave and got stopped as Christine hugged him from behind. ,,Glad to see you in one piece."  
Stephen smiled softly and went. She didn't dare to went inside as long as she could see the back of her former colleague. It was strange to see him like he was today with the cloak over his arm and this cat beside him and without his a-hole behavior. Before she fully closed the door Kathrin came running back.  
,,Christine smells nice. Please come visiting."

And she was gone just as fast as she came.


	10. out of routine

Sorry I took so long, but here is now a new chapter.  
I have a music recommondation for this chapter: _Nessaja_ from Peter Maffay.  
I know it's a german musician but give it a try, it's one of my favourite songs. (I can make a translation of the lyric if someone is asking). Otherwise I suggest the song _Rocket Man_ from Elton John. When you should start the music I leave a ~~~ behind.

 **KarToon12** : Your guess goes into the right direction but is not fully correct. But I won't say more - I don't want to spoiler the fun.

 **TapTapAlways** : Woha! Those are many reviews. Thank you very much :)

* * *

The next days where nearly all the same. Stephen awoke, with cat and cloak in his arms, ate a bit alone in the kitchen before Wong came to take him into a separate room, with Master Hamir, for his training. There were many things Stephen had to know as Sorcerer Supreme – Hamir questioned him over and over again until he memorized all of the different training plans and Wong asked different questions out of context, when he expected them the least, to keep him on his toes. At the end of each day he was tired beyond every fatigue he knew so far.

It was a week later when Kathrin and Cloak intervened. Wong was in the middle of explaining him things about all the differing artifacts, when Kathrin opened the door and the cloak flew inside to take Stephen out. Running as fast as possible away from both trainers, they escaped into an empty room and pushed it shut loudly. Without further delay Stephen got a sling ring pressed into his hands.  
,,Stephen has to open a portal to the outskirts of Hong Kong."  
,,Why?"  
Kathrin repeated her demand with a firm voice. ,,Stephen has to make a portal to the outskirts of Hong Kong."  
Looking warily he opened one and got immediately pushed through landing on hard concrete. ,,What was that for?"  
The question answered itself. As he looked back, he could see Wong storming into the room, they could see him starting to walk towards the portal but the fire-ring closed.

,,The cloak and Kathrin agree about the fact that Stephen does too much. Stephen needs a break."  
,,So what do you want me to do here?"  
,,You? Nothing. You just have to hold on."  
Kathrin started to glow and grow but she was bigger as the last time. She could easily put her head on his shoulders this time. Surprised he took a step back.

Kathrin got on her stomach and the cloak floated him atop of her back and she stood, with him on her back, up again. The only warning he got was a _hold on_ as Kathrin shot forward and left the last bits of the city behind. Her paws on the hard ground sounded like thunder in his ears but the few people they passed didn't even look into their direction.

Stephen pressed himself onto her back to not fall off. Buried deep into her grey fur, he could feel every muscle of Kathrin working below him, contracting and relaxing over and over again like a machine. The strong wind pulled on his hair and the cloak waved dramatically behind him like a flag in a storm. After a while he secured his grip on Kathrin's fur again and raised his head. The sun was low on the horizon, the world rushing fast beside him and the concrete was replaced by grass and a forest to his side. Looking forward he saw a small river advancing. Worrying he grabbed tighter into the fur. Kathrin's muscles tensed up and she made a high jump over the river, seemingly never ending. For a moment, it was only freedom and weightlessness, he laughed.  
When Kathrin landed, his laugh got muffled as his head landed on her thick neck-fur but he raised it again and laughed louder, even loosening his hard handgrip.  
As the sun set everything got painted in red and gold turning the greed grass into a colourful, weaving sea below him. Kathrin was now breathing quite heavily but she didn't stop and ran further and further.  
After the sunset was over the moon raised. Everything went dark with a little glow of silver. Star after star appeared and kept them company, sparkling over their heads. Contend, Stephen laid his head onto her fur and drifted further and further, without realizing it, into a peaceful dream.

* * *

 **The little adventure of Cloak and Kathrin a few hours before the kidnapping of Stephen:**

Kathrin paced agitated from one side of the room to the other, turned around and repeated the process. The cloak floated in a corner of the room and turned with each movement of Kathrin.  
,,It can not go on like that, Stephen collapses each day with bags under his eyes like someone gave him a black eye. We need to get him out."  
Kathrin knew they couldn't do this alone. They would need help of somebody else. Christine was out of reach and would not be able to help with magical problems. So, the only solution were the other sorcerers in the sanctum.

They left the room on their quest to gain allies. In the room opposite of them was one, they collected two in the hallways, another in the library and three in the kitchen. All of them sat in a half-circle around Kathrin with the cloak hovering behind her. With a firm expression on her face she started to explain what she wanted to do.  
She told them about Stephen's condition, how hard he tried each day to fulfill the expectations of everyone and how much he really needed a break. The sorcerers looked quite shocked, they didn't knew that the training was taking such a toll on Stephen. With that, a large discussion started.  
They could occupy Hamir or they could lock Wong into the library or steal Stephen away and other curiosities. Wait – they could take Stephen away. The next point was where they could take him. It could not be in the immediate area and nowhere to populated.' The oldest sorcerer they found in the library had an idea: ,,I could use a spell on you to make you invisible to unknown people. That would make it easier."  
An Asian looking one suggested China because of the fitting time difference which made the outskirts of Hong Kong the final destination. It's far away but reachable from a sanctum and the spell would keep Kathrin's grown form invisible to every non-sorcerer.

The spell required quite a bit of space so they had to move to the foyer. It wasn't the most difficult one but surely a large one. Kathrin and Cloak sat in the middle engulfed in the glow of the magic mandala. With a look of uncertainty Kathrin looked down on herself and touched her chest fur multiple times. ,,Did it work, I do not feel any difference."  
The sorcerer crossed his arms: ,,It did. Now you should be able to go out, shouting without anyone you don't know seeing or hearing you."

Kathrin put that to the test.

She stood on the side walk turning like an idiot and shouting: ,,I am Invisible! Kathrin is turning around invisible!"  
No one took notice of her but the cloak hurried to get her back inside. The sorcerers saw her little dance show and were laughing. Wiping a tear away the older sorcerer told them that the spell would hold for three hours before it wore off. With wishes of good luck, they went to the door of the room were Stephen was studying. Kathrin made a sign to the cloak to stay silent whereas the cloak made an annoyed move.

She counted quietly from three downwards and they stormed the room.


	11. sorcerer-napping or from 3 to 10

Sorry to keep you guys waiting,I have holidays now and am away from home — I have to do the chapters on my phone, means a higher risk for mistakes and a not-so-nice layout. Btw the cloak finally has a character tag, hooray for that.  
 _edit 16.06.17: I went over the layout_

 **Kartoon12** : Yep, these three get a lecture but I shortened for the sake of a nice flow in the story.

 **Moonunit** : Glad you like it :) I need sometimes longer for a chapter but I plan on finishing the story. I have planned a big ending.

* * *

The lecture awaiting the three as they came back was loud, long and exhausting - it was expected. Luckily their partners in crimes had helped a bit to lessen the fury Wong presented and eased Hamir's disappointed gaze. He was really angry at them for wandering off suddenly during a lesson, especially socerer-napping Stephen.

The other sorcerers had told the trainers where the trio went and why they did it. They told them about Stephen working till collapsing and how they want him to be the sorcerer supreme and how they didn't want him to overwork himself. Wong and Hamir showed insight even if they were a bit grumpy.

"They regret nothing Wong."

"I thought so."

* * *

After Stephen fell asleep on Kathrin's back she slowed down heavily panting, her chest rose and fell rapidly with each heart beat. A smile was across Kathrin's whole face.

"Stephen is asleep. How do Kathrin and Cloak go back?"

The cloak flew off the sleeping sorcerer's shoulders to show Kathrin an _I don't know_ move. In the end, they laid down below an old, thick tree, Stephen snoring peacefully on Kathrin's back. Looking at the stars Kathrin started to tell a bit about her home-world to fill the silence:

"The stars are comrades long lost, at least, that is what we believe. You know, there were adventurers to who left our tunnels to see them but no one came ever back. The All-Knowing is one of the last who saw the surface and told us that it is completely destroyed and uninhabitable - she cried so much because of that."

The cloak stretched over Stephen and started to rub Kathrin behind her ears. She leaned into it's touch.

"Kathrin does not now if the cloak saw what I was chasing but this prey is the fault for that. His cage was even deeper than our deepest cave. A young one was so foolish and went down there, it opened the sealed door and let the monster out. Mortis killed the young one in an instance - it looked so horrible, so unrecognizable. Many other fell too, we saw the danger to late. For the safety of the clan the All-Knowing opened a portal and pushed Mortis through and sent me and a few other hunters after it to end him once and for all. Now I am the last living hunter and I failed to kill the prey. Kathrin is a failure."

The cloak nestled itself in Kathrins large paws and rubbed the tears away. Grateful for the cloak Kathrin nuzzled her nose deep into the red material.

In this position they slept until late morning.

* * *

Stephen felt content as he awoke, rubbing the last bits of sleep out of his eyes. He still laid on Kathrin's back and she was asleep with her nose buried in the clock and her head between her paws. Stephen began to pet her to get her gently awake. Her purring sounded like a small machine but she woke up and the cloak wiggled out of her hold and flew back on his shoulders.

"You know that we are in trouble, Wong will have our heads for that."

"Stephen needed to get out, the others agreed too."

"The others?" He was surprised. Others beside Kathrin and Cloak helping him? Stephen wouldn't have guessed.

"Of course. We could not do this alone. How do you think Cloak and Kathrin left Wong behind or how my running through the city did not bother someone else?"

A warm feeling swelled in Stephens chest. He was so happy that the threat of Wong and Hamir harmless like a fly appeared. "We still have to go back."  
Stephen got off Kathrin's back and she shrunk back to her small size. Balancing carefully on Stephen's shoulders he opened a portal and went back to the sanctum.

It was way past midnight in the sanctum. On the staircase sat the Asian sorcerer barely awake but he jumped up as Stephen appeared.

"Glad to have you back Master Strange, Won-"

"It's _Doctor_ Strange but thank you mister…?

"Ān Haru Dr. Strange. Nice to meet you. Kathrin and the cloak were very eager to help you." He reached out with hand for a greeting; Stephen shook it.

"I want to get to know the others when I'm done with my lecture from Hamir and Wong."

Ān smiled: "Sure thing. I should wait here to tell you when you would come back that they wait for you in the library. Meet you at breakfast?"

He nodded and made his way to the library to the awaiting lecture.

* * *

Stephen was released from the library at breakfast time. Somewhat tired he made his way to the common room with Kathrin at his heels. A group of sorcerers sat together on a table and Ān waved them over. "Survived?"

"Somewhat. For now we are off the hook." He looked around. With Ān there were seven sorcerers in total. Four male and three female. The Asian started the introduction with the women: ,These are Annegret, Esra and Natalie and over there are Tom, Michael and Sebastian."

A chorus of _hi_ greeted Stephen. "Nice to meet all of you. As you may know I am Doctor Stephen Strange, but just Stephen is fine. Thanks to all of you, I really needed the break."

Natalie; brown long hair and grey clothing, answered: "You are our Sorcerer Supreme, you are no use to anybody when you overwork yourself. No worries your training plans are awesome. I had an improvement bigger than any time before."

Stephen scratched the back of his head. Michael a young teen with unruly, blonde hair chimed in: "Yeah, Nat's right. I finally opened my first portal."

Esra wanted to continue the praise but the old sorcerer, Sebastian intervened: ,Let the poor man sit down before you drown him in compliments."

Somewhat embarrassed Stephen got himself a chair. Kathrin disappeared under the table to sit on Stephen's feet. Ān had a question for him: "What will you do now? Your training shouldn't continue like it is now."

"Wong and Hamir shortened the lessons by two hours, Saturdays are freetime and they want to go on dimension-travel with me on Sunday, until I can do them alone."

Kathrin's ears shot up.


	12. not really Dormammu, just friendly

Wohooo I am on fire!

I had a long train travel and now I present my longest chapter not so long after another chapter. Still a not-so-pretty layout warning.  
 _edit 16.06.17: I went over the layout_

Enjoy!

 **Kartoon12** : "big bad" will come to haunt her but not in this nor the next chapter, it'll come when (thats my goal) no one expects it

* * *

"Traveling to other dimension has the same basic principle like the normal travel between different locations on earth. The difficult part is the traveling without a known location. Instead of forcing the energy to a specific form, you'll have to let it flow freely without vaporizing it. Think of it like a dog on a long leash."

Wong, Hamir, Stephen and companions stood in the backyard of the Kamar-Taj so no one gets bothered by miss-opened dimension portals. Opening portals in the mirror-dimension would be even harder because the energy there isn't flowing in a regular pattern and that can destabilize a dimension-portal. Besides that there were quite a lot sorcerer training there at this time of the day.

"How should I open a portal without directing energy?"

Wong answered: "You let the energy flow to create the circle and then you bring it to a specific place in order to go where you want to be. Now you have let the energy flow and then you have to keep it in that circle. Now try it, I'll follow you through your portal to make sure you come back."

Stephen did as he was told and the glowing circle appeared. With Kathrin on his shoulders and Wong behind him he took a step though the glowing circle with a fuzzy looking destination. He didn't realize that he had closed his eyes while going through it but as he stood with Wong on the other side a beautiful lake with lush greenery around him. Embarrassed Stephen stated that they ended up in one his vacation places. In reality it was the location from his first vacation with Christine but Wong didn't need to know that detail. Wong gave Stephen a pat on the shoulder "Try again."

The next location was the inside of Stephen's old High-school. Thank god it was Saturday otherwise they would stand between a hell lot of students.

An abandoned and shabby looking playground was the next destination. After that they ended up in a garden behind a house. Wong and Stephen hid quickly behind some bushes. His parents lived there. Stephen wanted to try it one last time.

To his left was a river to his right were hoardings. He had a feeling to know where he was. A few meters ahead was a big opening in the hoarding like something big ripped it open forcefully. Instead of a repair there was simply another one behind it to keep people from entering. He looked around and it hit him like a ton of bricks.

It was the place of his accident.

"Wong." Stephen's voice was unsteady. "I crashed here."

"What?"

"I crashed here. My accident. See up there. I lost control over my car up there and crashed down here against this fence. I would have drowned without it, Christine said. My car was upside down and the nose was in the water."

Wong's expression after Stephen's statement was unreadable. Kathrin rubbed her head against Stephen's and asked the question no one dared to ask: "Stephen injured his hands here?" His complete posture went rigid. This was his breaking point, here had his life made 180 degree turn. Because of this crash he lost his possibilities as a neurosurgeon and was broken so hard that he was build up again from scratch. A new life. "I wouldn't have met you." Was Stephen's only answer and Kathrin didn't ask further.

Wong putted a hand on his free shoulder: "Let's go home." He nodded and opened a portal vacantly. The first thing he noticed was the unusual ground texture, than the odd colours of his surroundings. This was definitely not the sanctum in London.

"Congrats Stephen, you found your first different dimension."

It reminded him a bit of Dormammu's dimension but instead of connected spheres it was one flat surface.

Kathrin jumped from his shoulders on the ground and bounced a meter up after touching the ground, she gave a surprised mew but jumped again somewhat laughing which sounded more like snorting. Stephen had to smirk and even Wongs expression light up. ,Wong, can we go exploring?"

"That is included in the task of finding dimensions. We have to know if its hostile or not. So be careful."

In the beginning Stephen refrained from jumping but please, who could stay serious when everything is colourful and the ground is bouncy. In the end they moved around jumping like astronauts on the moon and laughing freely like a child.

They stopped by a large purple…rock? The ground began shaking and the rock rose and a face appeared. Wong and Stephen went instantly in a defense position. It looked unnervingly similar to Dormammu, the only difference was the eye colour. But instead of an attack the face looked genuine surprised: "Hello there, who are you? I didn't know there are others here, I thought they all where gone. Wait – stop, are you here to hunt me? Do you want to hunt me? I have nothing!"

Both sorcerers held their hands up reassuring but before Wong could start speaking Stephen made the first step: "I can assure you we are not after you-." "Good."

"I am the Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange of Midgard part of the Yggdrasil. Those are my companions Wong, Kathrin and Cloak. We're traveling around to get to know other dimensions."

"Well, hello there Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange."

"Only Dr. Strange please."

"Okidoki Dr. Strange. And hello to the others too. I'm called Mammoth." A large hand appeared from the ground for a hand shake. It was more of a finger shake in Stephen's case and he could feel the power roaring under the skin. "It's nice to have company but since Dormammu there is nothing interesting here." The sorcerers stiffened. "  
You guys look like you know him. Everything intact were you live? He makes chaos and mass destruction."

"We made it barely. I had to bargain his leave after introducing him to time."

Mammoth looked interested: "Time. What is it?" Stephen rubbed absently his beard: "It's like a flow. We can't see it but it is a constant movement. Gives everything a beginning and an end and the possibility of development."  
The creatures eyes grew wide: "Woha! Can you show it to me too please?"

Stephen looked uncertain: "Once in motion it can't really be stopped. You can die then Mammoth, your live, your existence ends." "I don't care. If I end my self because of boredom or because of time. I rather die because of time and see something new, exiting, _developing_."

Now Stephen looked to Wong, he wasn't sure how to react.  
Wong spoke up: "We can do that but we have to return first to our dimension and come back again we'll need something to get the time flowing. But you have to be 100% sure because we can't stop it afterwards."

Mammoth nodded seriously. "I am sure. But how will I know that you come back?"

Kathrin jumped on Stephen's shoulders to whisper in his ear: "The cloak and I can stay here. Stephen and Wong will get everything needed and we wait here so Mammoth knows that we are not cheating on Mammoth."  
He turned his face worried to her: ,"sure? We don't know if Mammoth is dangerous."

"When Mammoth would want us dead we would already be dead. Stephen feels the power too, do he not?"

Stephen petted her head: "That doesn't mean that I like it. Please grow when you stay here."  
She nodded affirmative and jumped off his shoulders transforming mid-flight. The cloak laid itself on her back and with a last glance at Stephen she stated the suggestion.

"Kathrin – I and the cloak will stay with you while Stephen and Wong get what they need."

Mammoth nodded and reached out with her massive hand to let Kathrin and Cloak jump on. It wanted to show them around the world a bit.

Vary and uncertain Wong and Stephen returned to the Kamar-Taj. Wong turned to Stephen: "How could you allow Kathrin and the Cloak to stay behind? The introduction to time is somewhat ok, it's a special case, but not returning without them."

Stephen breathed heavily in and out: "Didn't you feel it's power. We could be instant dead. It may not be Dormmamu but Mammoth is the same species. As long as we are on good terms it's fine. On the other hand it was Kathrin's idea. She may look like a cat but she is more than a fluffy ball of fur. The faster we get the eye of Agamoto the faster we can go back and check if everything is alright."  
The retrieved the eye and as it was around Stephen's neck once more it felt just _right_.

Together they went back to Mammoth's world. They heard them before they saw them. In a particular green area Kathrin jumped from Mammoth's hand and bounced incredibly high, which would make every rubber ball envious. Smiling Mammoth turned to them: "You are back. Can you show me now how time works?"

Kathrin returned equally smiling to the side of Stephen who confirmed Mammoths question. "But once again. As soon as the time is flowing there is no stopping it. Please make a bit of room."

Mammoth picked Kathrin and a cautious Wong up and the cloak flew back on Stephen's shoulders, levitating him a bit over the land's surface.

Stephen took a deep breath and activated the eye of Agamoto. He tried to by the book but he let instinct take over. The movements he made reminded of a swimmer but that's what he's basically doing. Making ripples in a still water surface of time. Slowly but steadily he could feel time starting to move until he created a steady flow. Opening his, in concentration closed eyes, he saw his work.  
The dark blue of the land created lakes and rivers,  
green turned to exotic looking plants,  
darker, brown colours created an earth like substance  
the rest like red, purple and yellow shot sky high and flowed together in a breathtaking sunset.

It was a wonderful spectacle no one could really put into words. Mammoth was crying waterfalls. It came fully out of the earth and cuddled the team to its chest thanking them over and over.

"You'll always be welcomed here. Please come every once in a while."

As they bid goodbye the last they saw of Mammoth was it sitting and staring around, rubbing its belly. Stephen documented Mammoth's land like the Ancient One before him did, with other dimensions.

 _Mammoth is the only living creature in this area, it may be quite similar to Dormammu but it's absolutely friendly. Wong and I with Kathrin and the Cloak of Levitation introduced it to the concept of time…_

* * *

Many years later, beyond this story, Stephen visited Mammoth's land again. He had to redo his entry, Mammoth isn't the only living creature. It had laid something equally to an egg.


	13. Stephen's medium

Heyho out there,  
new chapter is here. The unlucky 13. The funny thing about Fridays the 13th is that the day is ether a really bad or really good one – there is no in-between for me.

 **KarToon12** : I'm glad you like Mammoth. She was a kind of last-minute addition to the story. I just had watched Dr. Strange again and I was like _"Hmm, what is Dormammu? Are there more like him?"_

 **Irene** (guest): Hiya there, you're my first guest reviewer. I'm happy you like my story. Feedback means a lot to me.

* * *

Stephen stood in the library inside of the Kamar-Taj. In front of him was an empty, new row of bookshelves for his documentations and scripts. Looking down to the notes about Mammoth's world something inside him awoke. There were five full sheets in total with two magical pictures of the dimension, before and after the time start, and a few sketches from Wong in-between from Mammoth. He never was good at drawing and with his hand issues and after the crash, he can dumb an artistic career definitely in the trash. Hooray for Wong's little, hidden talent. Stephen thought about a way to collect his notes, the old looking book were the medium of the Ancient One. He needs something else for himself. To be himself. To be like the Ancient One but not being the Ancient One, but to be the Sorcerer Supreme Stephen Strange.

His inner child was awake again. Hungry for knowledge, unknown things and it rebelled loudly against everyone who said you can't achieve more knowledge – including himself. Stephen wished for the wonders of life he thought lost. As he grew up, the life grew dull around him. He may was the best neurosurgeon the world had ever seen but after that came nothing really new and surprising beautiful. This may could be a reason for his asshole-behavior he once had. He had thought to be at the end of the possibilities.

He was at the beginning. At the very beginning.

* * *

It was morning as he went back to the London Sanctum to collect Kathrin. He made a stop at his room to change into casual clothes and found her in the common room with other sorcerers. They tried to teach her the game _Mensch ärgere dich nicht_. It was a board-game Michael added, as he came into the sanctum, because it was his favorite game and it was lacking in the game-collection. He was really good at it and said whenever he threw a piece out "Do not get angry, buddy." which was quite often. Stephen watched them for a few minutes. Kathrin had problems with shaking the die but they had placed a glass up-side-down so she could through them off from there onto the table. The pieces itself maneuvered she carefully with a claw and he finally understood how she had operated his computer – she did it like a pro.

He knocked at the door case to announce his presence. "Kathrin, the Cloak and I want to go into the city a bit shopping. Want to come along?"She jumped up happily: "Sure!"

They bid the others goodbye with the task to get food for dinner and a few new sketching pencils for Wong. At the staircase in the front of the sanctum he opened wordlessly his arms for Kathrin to jump in.

* * *

The temperature outside was nether to warm nor to cold with a gentle breeze. With the cloak draped over his arm they strolled through the streets of London. In a supermarket Stephen bought salmon, noodles and the ingredients for a cream sauce while Kathrin waited outside. On their Quest to find a shop for drawing-utensils Kathrin tapped on Stephen's arm to point out to a rather worn and rustic looking stationary shop. It was squeezed between a gaming shop and a bakery. An old man arranged calendars in the display and allowed Stephen with a "Boy, take the cat with you inside. You don't leave an obedient and beautiful animal outside alone." to take Kathrin inside the shop.

The inside had the same style like the outside and was well-stocked. Before he even could start looking around an old lady – he assumed the wife from the man outside – came to him and asked what he needed. "I look for sketching pencils. And maybe a few folders."

"We surely have that, please follow me." Politely smiling she went deeper into the shop. She showed him a large display of pencils from which he blindly took a box filled with ten in different shades. In the back of the shop were bindings and folders in various sizes and colors. "I'll look a bit around." "Ok, take your time. Call when you need something.

Stephen needed a DinA-4 sized folder and sheet protectors. He draped the cloak over his shoulders and putted Kathrin down. Dark green, red, brown. Stephen had a few in his hand but they never had the feeling of representing him. Kathrin whispered quietly to him: "What about that one?" It was a plane, grayish/black folder, just like the ones he'd used during his time as a neurosurgeon and it felt right. He wanted to fit so badly, that he had started to forget himself. Dr. Stephen Strange – ex-neurosurgeon, Sorcerer Supreme accompanied by a cloak and an alien cat. Kathrin rubbed her head affectionate against his leg whereas he bowed down and petted her head "Thank you."

He asked the woman for a few more folders and a large pack of sheet protectors. With another shopping bag, they left the shop.

Instead of walking all the way back to the sanctum they used a portal in an empty alley. The pencils for Wong seemed to be the correct ones because he took them without complaining. Stephen left the folders in his room and went to the kitchen where Kathrin was waiting for him. Even if they only had the task to get the things for a meal, they decided to try cooking for everyone. Luckily someone had cleaned the kitchen before from the masses of used dinnerware.  
The noodles were easy, just cooking them in hot water with a bit of salt, the sauce was harder. Stephen stirred the sauce with one hand, in the other was his phone with a cooking app open. In the end the salmon was a little bit scorched but Kathrin ate the worst pieces happily. While Stephen laid the table, Kathrin went to get everyone.

The dinner was funny and lively and the food didn't taste bad. Stephen only forgot to spice the sauce a bit. Contend, he and Kathrin went afterwards back to their room. Kathrin and the Cloak were already waiting for him on his bed, but Stephen went alone into the library at the Kamar-Taj.

On a desk, he put his note sheets about Mammoth's world in sheet protectors and ordered them in a folder. On the cover he wrote _Dimension_ _Discoveries,_ on the inside he wrote his name. For a moment he thought about leaving the doctor title out, but decided against it. It was a part of himself, just like the title Sorcerer Supreme is now a part of him.


	14. a new-old teacher

It's half-time folks!  
We are somewhat in the middle of the things I planed for this story.

I have a new summary, is it better or worse that before?

 **KarToon12** : Yes, the book will get many more notes. It'll grow with Stephen's experiences

* * *

The next weeks fell into an easy routine and Stephen settled more and more into his job as a Sorcerer Supreme. On his side were always the Cloak and Kathrin; he was really grateful for that. They left him alone when he was studying but when he was overdoing it both came running into his room forcing him outside doing ridiculous things – not that he complained in any way.

Once they went to the islands of Hawaii onto the Mauna Kea to watch the night sky. The view was beautiful and they could see the milk way with the bare eye.

Another time they went to Egypt for a round of sightseeing. The natives were very friendly to Kathrin what she enjoyed throughout and now there are a few stone figures on the windowsill.

In the end, the most ridiculous thing they did was going to a convention. Kathrin and the cloak had dressed him up as Sherlock Holmes. Needless to say, many pictures were taken that day, in one you could even see Kathrin laughing behind him in his costume. Stephen had to smile as he saw the picture they took in a lone moment. He kept it on his desk, laying against a pen-box.

* * *

It was Sunday noon. Yesterday they found a not-so-friendly dimension. The reason wasn't the inhabitants – if there were some – and Wong was lucky that he didn't walked directly behind Stephen through the portal. The ground was black and boiling, the cloak saved him and Kathrin, who sat on his shoulders. The tips of his boot were scorched and the smell was another reason to leave the dimension very quickly. His clothes from yesterday were for the second time in the laundry because of the stench.

Michael was knocking on the door. "Come in, it's open." The young sorcerer saw him sitting on his sofa, Kathrin and the cloak squeezed together on his lap, reading one of the Ancient One's dimension books. "Sorry to disturb you but there asked someone for you in the New York sanctum."  
Stephen was surprised, every sorcerer new how to find him, at least a way how to find him: "Who is it?"  
"I don't know, I have never seen her before. She wanted to visit you, said her name is Christine Palmer. Brown hair…"  
"Christine? It's fine I know her. I'll be there in a moment." Michael left quietly, closing the door behind him. Stephen putted the book away and murmured more to himself than anyone else what Christine did here.  
The cloak flew beside him and Kathrin followed right behind as he opened a portal to New York. They came out just a few meters away from Christine who made a small jump in surprise.  
"Hello Christine, what can I do for you?"  
"Hello to you too, I thought you could maybe help me to understand you better."  
"You mean…?"  
Christine crossed her arms and made a loud sigh: "I want to understand what you are doing, everything you did looked like something straight out of a fantasy movie. But I have seen it, in some twisted way I don't understand this is real." To empathize her word she spread her arms.  
Stephen was surprised, he needed a moment to answer: "Ehmm, sure I can do that…follow me, please." He opened a portal to the library in the Kamar-Taj, it was the quietest place he could think of at this time of the day. Christine took reluctant Stephen's extended hand and let him guide her through the reddish, sparkling ring.

In wonder Christine went to a small window in the library. The sky outside was black and she could see Katmandu's lights. She turned to Stephen and looked around. "Where are we?" Stephen's (how the students call it) _teacher-mode,_ he developed in the last weeks, activated. "You are in the library of the Kamar-Taj in Katmandu. It's kind of the home-base of all sanctums. From here you can go through one of the doors," He pointed to the flying globe and the three surrounding doors. "And go either to the sanctum in New York, London or Hong Kong. They are earth's barrier against threats from outside." Christine's attention was taken by the flying globe and just like Wong showed him the barriers, he showed them Christine, minus Dormammu. It was speaking of the devil as Wong appeared between the bookshelves. "Evening Stephen. Who is this?"  
"This is Christine Palmer, an old…friend of mine, we worked together. She wanted to understand what we are doing after she patched me up from of Kaecillius' wound and tried to help the Ancient One's wounds."  
Wong looked in his typical, bit critical look to Christine: "Than thank you for saving Stephen. I'll leave you two alone." Christine watched Wong go. "Ok? Was nice to meet you?"  
The disappearing sorcerer didn't answer her. Stephen had made a small chuckle because of Wong: "Don't worry about this ray of sunshine. Wong is always like that, it's nothing personal. Where were we?" With a unidentifiable expression Christine looked to Stephen as he restarted his explanation. He had changed. He acted like on the first day they had met, hungry for knowledge and open for everyone who listens to him. This was the combination that made him successful, being a teacher but also being a student at the same time, growing as the time went on.  
A small smile creeped upon her face:  
this was the man she had missed.  
Christine followed him eagerly throughout the rest of the tour, enjoying Stephen's carefree talking.

* * *

Kathrin stared at the closing portal, the cloak hovering at her side: "Did they just _left_ us?"  
No response from the cloak.  
"Do you have an idea what we can do?"  
She looked to it and it made a _no_ movement.  
"Do you think we can go and watch the students?"  
The cloak made a _yes_ move.

In the large basement a few teens, including Tom and Esra, spared together. Sebastian supervised the small friendly spars. Sebastian held a small speech: "You'll never know what will be waiting outside for you. When you go on, you will encounter good, just like bad things and people. As long as you are prepared you never have to fear something. This spar is easy, you'll know your opponent but there can be times when you don't know who is awaiting you. In situation like these come experience in handy but always consider friendly ways out of a fight because most fight occur due to misunderstandings. Be open and clear about what you want and respect the opinion of others." Sebastian stopped in his speech as he saw Kathrin and the cloak on the sideline. "Oh, hello you two. Want to join? They could use a new opponent. I'll open the Mirror-Dimension for you."  
Kathrin nodded eagerly and her statue grew as large as Sebastian himself. She had an intimidating appearance to the students, especially as the Cloak settled on her shoulders. Kathrin shook her thick fur. "Kathrin is ready. Come with at me with all you have!" Her claws came out, white and sharp.

The students looked unsure to Sebastian. He thought for a moment: "Why not? Everyone against Kathrin and the Cloak. Everything allowed, please refrain from any serious injuries." Sebastian hadn't the illusion that no one would leave without any scrapes or bruises, but that is part of learning to fight.

Still a bit hesitant the students prepared and started to attack Kathrin. At first they came all after another and Kathrin simply danced around the attacks, she roared loudly: "Is that really everything?" The ten students gripped there equipment tighter and started to attack together, more determined. As Kathrin pinned the first student down, with her jaw hovering around his neck Sebastian called: "Louis you're dead, you're out. Please wait beside me." Kathrin released the shaking student and the others looked quite shocked too. Kathrin was fast, she was strong and the boy would've been dead if Kathrin would be an enemy. The students started to plan their attacks and it wasn't so easy anymore for Kathrin to dodge the them.

Kathrin "killed" the students one after another. They didn't last half an hour before she beat them all together with the cloak on her back, she only missed a few strands of fur not really out of breath. They were heavily panting with a few scrapes were Kathrin's claws got them, but there were smiling. With the promise of a rematch Kathrin left the scattered Mirror-Dimension. Everywhere were she had made a large jump or her claw caught something the dimension had scattered even further. Relaxed she went back to Stephen's room, shrunk and dozed off on the end of the bed, rolled into the cloak.


	15. Protector and Supporter without words

Sorry that I took so long,  
but here is a new chapter.

KarToon12: Kathrin has quite some strengh under her fur.

xXHumanXx: Glad you like it :D

* * *

With Katmandu's sun rising Christine grew more and more tired. After a very large yawn, she had tried to hide behind her hand, Stephen came to a stop. "I think it is enough for tonight, or today. Depends how you look at it."

"Thank you for the tour."

It followed an awkward silence. Neither of them wanted to leave the other but both of them were so exhausted, despite Stephen's seemingly awake state, they could've slept anywhere, anytime. With crossed arms Christine looked everywhere other that Stephen's face. "I think, I should go home now…"

"Ah, yes. Wait, I bring you home."

With that he opened a portal to an alleyway not far away from her flat. At the front doorway Christine turned around. "Do you want to come inside?"  
Stephen followed unsure behind her. Not much had changed since the last time he was in her flat. The door was still squeaking loudly and the furniture was mostly white with a few green and yellow accents here and there. At the coatrack he instinctively grabbed for the Cloak but he simply padded his shoulders, Christine saw that motion and asked where the Cloak and Kathrin were anyway. "I guess…we left them standing in the sanctum"  
He scratched embarrassed his head. "It's to late now, they would've came if something was wrong."  
After a look outside to the nightlights of the city he asked if she had to go to work because it was, like two, in the morning. "My shift starts late today, don't worry. Do you want something to drink, water?" "Yes, please." Stephen sat down at the sofa in the living room. A few photos were standing on a shelf and he had to smile as he saw a selfie of Christine and him at a lake.

Meanwhile Christine went into the kitchen to fetch two glasses. She stopped in front of her fridge. Her personal, favorite photo of Stephen still hung there. Christine couldn't throw it away, even after their fight. It was him standing in front of students, explaining the connection between the stimulation of nerves and the response of the brain. All students were looking interested at him and he seemed to glow. An easy smile was on his face and one hand pointed behind him at a projection of the human nerve-system. Snapping out of her thoughts, she filled the glasses and went back to Stephen.

As she saw him, she had to stifle a laugh. Quietly Christine put the glasses on the table and got an orange spare blanket for Stephen who was sound asleep on her sofa. With Stephen now tugged into the blanket she went to sleep herself.

* * *

The awakening this morning was strange for Kathrin, she had needed a moment to figure out what was wrong. Stephen's breathing was missing and the blanked hadn't been used either. It wasn't like Stephen was snoring but he breathed quite loudly in his sleep, a sound that now was missing. Untangling from the cloak she asked it, if she had missed him somehow but the cloak knew nothing and had waited the whole night beside her. "We have to find him, something could have happened to doctor Stephen Strange." A knock sounded from the door. "Stephen, are you awake?" It was Wong. Jumping of the bed, she ran to the door and opened with a jump atop the doorknob. "Kathrin had not seen doctor Stephen Strange, he was not here the whole night."

"He should've been back by now. Try to find him you two. I look if I find him still in the Kamar-Taj." With that Wong stormed down the hallway. "Cloak do you have an Idea where Stephen could be?" It shook _no._ "Than we will ask around."

They opened door after door asking, when a sorcerer was inside, if he had seen Stephen. Everyone they asked said no. Now running through the hallways, they searched for Sebastian. Esra opened them a portal to Hong Kong where he was at the time. Surprised the old sorcerer turned to them. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"  
"Cloak and Kathrin cannot find doctor Stephen Strange. Please use the invisible trick, like you did as we went out."  
Sebastian held his hands appeasing up. "Slow down for a moment you two. You can't find Stephen, but he is a big boy and can take care of himself so tone down the worry. Yes, I can use this magic again but don't panic over him, please."  
Kathrin nodded frantically. With a loud sigh, he led them into the foyer for more space. The magic mandala engulfed the, now large, Kathrin with the cloak on her back, once more. "Can Sebastian open a portal to the Kamar-Taj for us, please?" With a small roll of his eyes he took the sling-ring of his belt and opened them a portal. "Good luck finding Stephen." "Thank you."

In the Kamar-Taj Kathrin followed her nose to Wong. The master came out of the library but he hadn't found Stephen either. "Kathrin, were did Christine came from?"  
"Kathrin thinks, it was New York."  
"Can you look there please? Maybe they went out. I will open you a portal."

Now in New York Kathrin stormed out of the door, maneuvering fast between the remaining people and cars in the dark, always careful to never touch anyone. Sniffling the air, she only smelled the emissions of the cars and the smell of food from a few, still open, shops. No smell of Stephen or Christine. In an alleyway Kathrin jumped with a mighty leap atop a fire escape way. Making her way to the top the thoughts in her brain went haywire. _Where could Stephen be gone? Where would I've been gone if I have a friend with me?_

It made click in her head. When Christine wasn`t with Stephen in the sanctum, Stephen was with Christine at her place. Trying to remember where Christine lived she used the rooftops as a shortcut.  
Kathrin made a relived sigh as she saw the skyscraper Christine lived in. Climbing over balconies they found Christine's flat a few floors below and they only found it because they saw Stephen sleeping peacefully on a couch, huddled into an orange blanket. Relieved all tension left Kathrin's muscles and she simply dropped to the ground where she stood.

With the worry over Stephen gone she tried to control her rapid breath. Over a short time, Stephen and the Cloak grew very dear to her. Stephen was a Protector to her, the Cloak a Supporter with no words needed.

No one had ever cuddled or praised her besides the All-Knowing.  
Power makes someone lonely.  
She never had wanted to be lonely but she was one of five who were able to protect the All-Knowing. Now that she knew what friendship really was like, she dreaded the day the All-Knowing calls her back.


	16. you'll never hurt me

Hey there,  
a new chapter for you as fast as possible after the longer wait for the last.

 **KarToon12** : I haven't thought about that, but you are right. The cloak and Kathrin are kind of overprotective parents.

 **Guest** : Sadly, I'm not sure what you want to tell me with your review. Are the characters a suggestion for a new chapter? It'll be easier too if you use an alias so I'll recognize you if you write another review.

* * *

Stephen awoke as Christine made a late breakfast in her kitchen. Putting the blanket beside him and releasing the uncomfortable tension in his neck he looked outside. On the floor was a large, red and grey thing - and the red part moved. It was the cloak! And when the cloak was the red thing, the other part had to be Kathrin. He opened quickly the door and crouched down beside the large, sleeping form of the alien cat. Quietly he asked what the two of them did on the balcony and he got for that a punch on his shoulders from the cloak. "Ouch, what was that for?"  
The cloak pointed to Kathrin. "Oh, I understand. How long have you been outside here?" He didn't wait for an answer and brushed lightly Kathrin's fur to wake her up. Two tired looking slits appeared. "We searched for you…everywhere…no one knew where you were." Sleepily she leaned into his touch.  
"I'm sorry for not telling you were I went. When you shrink I can carry you around." He didn't receive a verbal answer but Kathrin's form shrunk. Stephen picked her carefully up and entered the flat again.

Christine came out of the kitchen with to pots of coffee. She had thought to find Stephen still sleeping but he was already awake, with his back to her. "Good morning Stephen. Do you want some coffee? Completely black?" "Morning. Yes, please." He turned around. In his arms were a sleeping grey furball – Kathrin – with her head in the crook of his left arm and she saw on a second view the cloak laying over the backrest of the sofa. "When did she came in?"  
"She and the cloak came searching for me in the middle of the night. I should've told someone were I went. I'll go back to the sanctum after the coffee."

After the coffee, he walked to the front door. "Do you really want to go outside looking like that?"  
Stephen looked in a mirror beside the coatrack. He was in his sorcerer attire which was wrinkled from his sleep on the sofa, he was carrying a cat in his arms and the cloak was settled once more on his shoulders. Even if he felt comfortable in his clothes, Christine was right he shouldn't show up like this in public. "Yeah, you're right."  
He maneuvered Kathrin's weight on one arm and tried to get the sling-ring with his other hand – from the opposite side on his hip. Before Stephen had time to rearrange his hold the cloak came around and held Kathrin to his chest so he could move both hands without the worry of dropping Kathrin. _Thank you cloak_. With a goodbye, he left the flat though a portal into his room.

Stephen considered to lay Kathrin onto the bed but then he remembered the picture of her sleeping on the balcony. On the other side, he would need his hands. Stephen had an idea: "Cloak can you hold Kathrin on my back instead of my chest?"

With Kathrin now sleeping on his back he searched for Wong to tell him, that he was back. Stephen found the sorcerer in the foyer of the sanctum. "I am glad to finally see you. The two on your back were quite worried about you. They searched everywhere for you, be glad to have so good friends who look after you…and you are late for your lesson."  
"I'm sorry. I completely forgot the time."  
"Be happy that I didn't forgot your lesson. Come on."  
Wong walked with Stephen behind him into the sanctum's library and handed him a book. "We'll take it easy today. I want you to read and practice chapter seven from this book. Only this chapter." Stephen nodded and sat atop of one of the large cushions laying around, careful to not squeeze and wake Kathrin in the process.

The book was about magical barriers of all kind. The chapter Wong wanted him to read was about a kind of bubble-barrier. Instead of the two plates on his arms he normally used and perfected thanks to Dormammu, this one should engulf him completely. It wasn't a dangerous spell, if he did something wrong, nothing would happen. On the other side, it could go wrong pretty easily. Only a minor distraction was enough to collapse the spell, making it useless. Stephen was finished reading after half an hour and felt confident in remembering it after another hour. As he stood up Kathrin began to stir. "M'ning Steph'n." "More like good midday. Had a good sleep?"  
"Mhm, slept g'd."  
"I am trying a barrier spell. Do you want to test the stability?"  
Kathrin looked surprised to him. Normally she wasn't allowed into Wong and Hamir's lessons, so she never had helped him with a spell. "Sure thing."

* * *

They went into the empty training room. Stephen stood in the middle with a grown Kathrin in front of him. Taking a deep breath, he concentrated on the movement.  
Hands in front of him, moving to the sides. Making a circle and moving them back together in front of him. Breathing out he separated explosively his hands. The golden glow engulfed him.

Stephen now stood in his magic bubble, bathing his sight in yellow. "Ok, Kathrin. Try it out."  
Carefully Kathrin raised her paw against the barrier, were her paw hit it glowed a bit brighter but it held. Using a bit more force, the barrier still held against Kathrin. "Kathrin, I want you to attack me." "What? Kathrin should attack you? I can injure you."  
"I know you won't. That's why I want you to test the stability." Kathrin looked unconvinced but made herself ready. Going to the end of the room she went into position. "Here I come!"  
With speed, Stephen did not expect, Kathrin crashed into the barrier.  
Fire-red and yellow sparkles flew in every direction.  
Kathrin's body collided with Stephen's.  
With a hard , _hud_ both of them fell onto the floor, Kathrin burying Stephen beneath her.

Horrified Kathrin got off Stephen as fast as possible: "Stephen? Stephen! Please be alright, Stephen has to be." The sorcerer sat up while rubbing the back of his head. "Calm down Kathrin, it's nothing. As I said, you can't hurt me." With that he opened his arms and embraced the panicking cat.


	17. small things in life

I have finally summer holidays!  
Anyway, new chapter for you and a higher chance for new ones in shorter time.

 **KarToon12** : Yep, those two, or rather three, will have some adveture(s) together.

 **galwidanatitud** : Glad you think so. Kathrin grew quite dear to me and the Cloak is one of my favorite characters/objects.

* * *

The start into the Tuesday morning was slow. Stephen awoke a little bit before his alarm rang and enjoyed the warmth of the bed before he had to get up. As he changed into his clothes a coin fell onto the floor with a soft _ping_. Interested in the shiny, round object Kathrin jumped from the bed and examined it. "What is this Stephen?"  
Stephen pulled his shirt down and turned around: "Oh, this? This is money. We use it to pay for things we want to have."  
" _Pay_ was it when humans _buy_ things, am I wrong?" Stephen shook his head. "But did you not use a card in this paper-filled shop?" Chuckling the sorcerer explained the cat, that there are two ways of paying. You could either use coins and bank notes or you use a card where virtual money was saved upon. The difference between reality and virtuality would have to be explained another time.  
Kathrin did understand the concept but had a question to ask: "Why do humans not trade. Work for food, help for shelter? Everyone has something he can do best. I am strong, I can carry much and protect weaker, you do too."  
Stephen sat down on the edge of the bed: "This is a quite difficult question. The concept of money developed over many, many years. And humans still trade, it's simply not the preferred payment. I know it's an interesting topic but I have to go to my lesson or I'll be late again." Tentative she bit into the hard metal, disliking the taste. As Stephen nearly closed the door Kathrin asked if she could come with him. "Sure, come on."

* * *

They repeated the lesson from yesterday. Stephen created a bubble-barrier and tried to hold it up while Kathrin attacked him, only that today, Hamir was questioning him simultaneously to disturb his focus. Already after half an hour, Stephen was sweating waterfalls and had trouble keeping his concentration up, making the barrier flicker like an old light. Ten minutes later Kathrin busted the barrier and tackled him to the ground. Carefully she helped the heavy breathing sorcerer up. Hamir ended the lesson for now - they would do another round in the evening.

Outside of the door Kathrin sniffled in the air. "You stink." "I know, I know. I am going to shower." Shrinking Kathrin followed Stephen on his heels to their room. "What is a shower? Do you use it to clean you?"  
"Yes, I do. How do you keep yourself clean at home?"  
"Well, we groom us. Or take a dip in a lake if we are too dirty but I prefer not to, it is very cold." Stephen held her the door open and went with her into the bathroom. He picked her up and pulled the curtain from the shower aside. Pulling a towel in arms reach he put her into the tub. The cloak flew into the corner (it refused any bath if it wasn't really necessary) and Stephen rolled one's sleeves up to help Kathrin with her first shower. "Do I really have to? You are the one who smells. Water is cold."  
"Stop whining. You'll enjoy it, I promise." Kathrin huffed in defeat and slumped down. Stephen took her collar off and set it below the mirror. He got the shower head down and waited till the water stream was warm. Starting with her back, Kathrin was surprised. "The water is _warm_."  
"Yes, it is."  
Now Kathrin was purring in glee. "Come on Cloak, you too. It's awesome, nice and warm." The hovering red material shook a fiercely **no**. "Aww, please. Cloak, please." Smugly Stephen turned to the cloak: "She is right, you know. You aren't really dirty but you could use a bath." Under the pleading eyes of Kathrin, the Cloak admitted defeat and joined her. "You too Stephen. You are the worst smelling of us."  
Now it was the cloak's turn to look smug (as much as a cloak could look like it) and before Stephen could voice any protest, the cloak grabbed him and pulled him, including his clothes, inside.

Soaking wet and laughing the three came out. "So that is what you do nearly every morning. You are cleaning yourself."  
"What do you think I do?"  
"I don't know. Drinking a lot of water maybe?"  
As Stephen tried to come out of his clothing he tripped but the cloak caught him thankfully. With towel-dry hair, dressed in comfy clothes and armed with a hair-dryer Stephen dried Kathrin's fur and started with the cloak, but it was too heavy material to dry it completely without taking hours. With an old brush, Stephen still had for no real reason, he tamed the explosion of fur Kathrin presented.

Together they went onto an empty balcony and let the noon sun shine. "Do you know what ice is?"  
"Of course, I do. Why does Stephen ask?"  
"No, I mean ice-cream, edible ice with flavor."  
Kathrin looked puzzled: "You can eat that?"  
"Yes, wait a moment." Stephen went inside and came back a few minutes later back with two bowls filled with a light-brown, cold substance. Stephen didn't know what kind of flavor Kathrin liked so he got her his favorite one: hazelnut.  
Kathrin was thrilled and asked for another but Stephen said, that too much isn't good and that they could eat more tomorrow. Content Stephen leaned back with his face to the sun, the cloak over his legs and Kathrin on his lap.

* * *

In the afternoon lesson Wong and Hamir were both present. As they turned around to Stephen as he came in, neither of them could hide a smirk. Stephen hadn't changed his clothes, so still wore a wide shirt and shorts but that wasn't the funny part. His face was completely red just like his arms but not his legs. The parts were Kathrin and the cloak had laid upon were still white. "Were you too long in the sun Stephen?" Said sorcerer looked down on him and replied: "I guess so."  
Stephen had a massive sunburn and could be sure to feel it tomorrow. He even started to feel it now after Kathrin tackled him again to the ground after only twenty minutes. "Not only you are getting stronger, I will grow with you. Makes your training harder, but when you need me I will be ready to fight alongside you like no one else.

* * *

"Do I have to shower again?"  
"Yes, you stink."


	18. it's not full moon

New chapter, everyone!

I thought about doing this in two chapters but I thought naaah, don't leave your readers hanging. Anyway, I'm not at home at the moment so a layout- and mistake-warning.

 **KarToon12** : Cuteness increases with trust. Because when you trust someone, you let them see everything of you - embarrassing-, hurtfull and happy things and memories.

 **galwidanatitud** : Untidy things are fine, hell, my room is everything else than tidy but I hate dirt. In rooms and on people alike.

* * *

By the end of Stephen's training week his barrier could withstand half an hour of Kathrin's assault or about eight minutes when Wong, Hamir and Kathrin combined attacked.

Friday night Wong came to Stephen to tell him, that he would travel though dimensions on his own now. He is now skilled enough to do them on his own and he always could ask if he had a question, but that was a general rule. So when Stephen started the next day he was somewhat excited and scared at the same time. Pulling the cloak tighter around him and making sure that Kathrin was secure on his shoulders Stephen made the familiar circling hand motion. As always he felt the power building up inside him which he released steadily in his circle.

* * *

Behind the portal was a dimension not so different from the earth's jungle and with one last glance to Wong he stepped trough and the portal closed behind him. To his sides massive trees reached sky high, nearly covering the whole blue above them. At the first sight nothing seemed wrong but Stephen had the feeling that something was amiss. It took him a moment but Kathrin confirmed his suspicion. Besides the rustling of the leaves in the wind everything was completely quiet and Kathrin couldn't smell anything else besides the plants.

"This place is beautiful and perfect for any form of live. Lush greenery and water, perfect conditions but no animal life. I have a bad feeling about this Stephen."

Stephen reached up with his hand and petted her soothingly. "We're here to explore. I leave the sling ring on so we could go back at any time, alright?"

Kathrin nodded unconvinced. Instead of jumping off Stephen's shoulders she crouched even further down and swung her tail loosely around his neck. Straightening his shoulders, Stephen moved forward. Despite the lack of animals they stumbled upon a dirt track which they decided to follow. The trees got smaller and stood further and further apart until they came across a ruin. It stood right beside one tree and was not wide but very very long and high. The stone structure was partially overgrown by plants and a few bricks were missing which made the fully intact, large glass window more surprising. Even from the outside it made the windows in the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris look small.

Quickening his pace Stephen found the entrance on the other side. He only got the massive wooden doors a slit wide open with the help of Kathrin. The inside was empty, completely empty. Nothing, no chairs, no left over candles – things you would normally find in a cathedral – but what strange was, was the lack of dust. The stone tiles were clean and shiny like freshly cleaned. "Hello?" The greeting echoed ghostly around but no-one or nothing answered. Shrinking Kathrin jumped back into the safety of Stephen's arms.

The windows were in all colors of the rainbow with black silhouettes he assumed to be animals. Below them were sentences in different languages, some he knew, some he had never seen. Below a smaller window he found an english one.

 _With the beginning of the wolves' howling, it is the ending of every living._

They didn't understood what the sentence wanted to tell them but before they could thought about it any further a few sun rays started to crawl through the huge main window. Kathrin's ears shot up.

"Do you hear that too?"

The more the sun shone though the glass, projecting it's picture on the ground, the louder an unknown melody got, resonating in the whole hall. Searching for the source, they found a stone-grey door they hadn't noticed before. Unlike the front door it was easy to open this one. Before them was a stairway downwards, lighted with torches every few meters. The deeper they got down, the louder the music got. It was a very sad one, probably played on a kind of flute.

At the end of the stairwell was a simple, wooden door Stephen opened on three. The music stopped instantly. The room wasn't large but the view got caught by the being in the middle. In a nest of cushions sat something humanoid shaped, glowing in a soft blue. It had a flute in it's hands and no face but still looked fearful. The voice, neither male nor female, came from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.

"What are you doing here, you foolish creatures. Go far, far away before it's too late."

Stephen and Kathrin alike just got a "What?" out.

"You head me right. When your are not gone immediately, you are dead within minutes."

The being stood up and grabbed Stephen's elbow before he had any chance to react. It pulled him after it and ran the stairs up.

"Hurry, Hurry."

As they reached, panting, the hall the being started to fade.

"Go faster, go back to were ever you came from. I lost enough children already."

It faded further and further but opened the massive front doors with a flick of its hand. On the outside it faded into nothing. Stopping Stephen turned around to the still open doors. The last sun rays through the window faded and the sky turned darker and darker.

"Ouuuuuuuh."

They froze. Loud wolf howling sounded through the trees.

"Ouuuuuuuh."

It came nearer and nearer. Paw steps thundered on the ground and they found themselves in a circle of wolf-like creatures who bared growling their teeth. Their forms were like living shadows, letting their outline blur. Scared, not understanding what was happening Stephen constructed his newly learned bubble-barrier around him and Kathrin jumped to his side, taller than Stephen had ever seen her. She was as tall as a pony and fledged her fangs to the wolves.

The first one attacked him but instead of crashing into the barrier it simply flew through Stephen. The pain was excruciating and he cried out hurt. Besides his own shout and Kathrin's hiss another voice cried out in agony.

* * *

The fallen sorcerer blinked the darkness away which creeped into his vision. Kathrin stood protective over him and to his right laid limply the cloak. But underneath the red fabric was a teenage boy with deep-red hair, rolled into a protective ball and crying. Shocked Stephen couldn't form a thought.

 _With the beginning of the wolves howling, it is the ending of everything living._

 _Go far, far away before it's too late._

 _Dead within minutes._

 _Get up._

 **"Get up Stephen!"**

Stephen snapped out of his thoughts. The wolves were closing in around them. Wincing he moved his sore muscles, reaching out to the boy, taking him into his arms.

"You have to get onto my back."

Kathrin bend her knees slowly until she was small enough for Stephen to get on her back. With one hand holding onto the, in the cloak wrapped, boy, with his other in Kathrin's fur she made a mighty jump over the wolves and ran for her live. Behind them the wolves sprung into action. Barking madly they chased after Kathrin, attracting more and more with their yowling.

"Open a portal, _now_!"

Pressing his legs into Kathrin's flanks to keep himself steady, he balanced the boy with his right and made narrowly a portal.

Hurt, panting and shaking the three stood in the backyard of the Kamar-Taj.


	19. meet Cloak, meet Claus

A new long chapter for you,

Still working from my mobile phone.

I had a few problems with the notifications so please look if you have already read chpt. 18: it's not full moon. Otherwise enjoy!

 **galwidanatitude** : I wouldn't call them Werewolves (btw. thank you for the idea), they are lost souls hunting. More will be revealed in the next chapter.

* * *

Slowly Stephen loosened his grip on the boy. He had his hands buried deep in Stephen's clothes, was shivering like a leaf and tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"Shhhh, I have you. Calm down."

Blinking, the boy opened his swollen, puffy red eyes who had a shade of bronze-gold. "Stephen everything hurts. I feel so heavy. Please make it go away."

With that the boy curled even deeper into Stephen's clothes. Surprised that the boy knew his name, Stephen slipped off the back from Kathrin - who instantly shrunk - groaning as his muscles protested under the strain. Helplessly Stephen called out for Wong. Looking down again to the boy, he saw that the Cloak wrapped around him didn't move. It hung limply around him, no swinging ends, no perched up collar – simply nothing. "Cloak? Hey Cloak!"

But instead that the cloak reacted, it was the boy who looked up. "What?"

Stephen had an idea, a crazy, nearly impossible one, but he had to test it. "What stands on the back of my watch?"

"How much I love you...will only time can tell…. Christine gave it to you, and it has cracks on it," he groaned "what do you gain from that? Make the pain stop!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" There were only a few who knew that his wristwatch was a present from Christine and not even a hand full knew it's backside. Besides, obviously, Christine, only the Cloak, Kathrin and maybe Wong.

Fast steps approached and Wong came outside. "Is everything alright? What happened?"

* * *

Wong brought new books into the library as he heard Stephen shouting. It sounded absolutely miserable. Placing the books on a nearby shelf, Wong broke out into a run. He found them in the backyard. Kathrin was laying on the ground, and wouldn't it be for her rapid chest-movement, he could've thought that she was dead. Stephen stood beside her, eyes wide open, with someone in his arms.

"Is everything alright? What happened?"

"We were attacked and got hurt. My chest feels uncomfortable tight and the Cloak, who somehow turned into a teen, is complaining too about massive pain."

"We have to get you to the infantry. Give him to me, can you carry Kathrin?"

As Stephen wanted to give over the boy-cloak, he refused to let go of him, so Stephen carried him and Wong carried the unconscious Kathrin. Because no one was in the infantry at the moment, Wong had to search for the two responsible sorcerers and left the three alone.

Stephen's head was swimming and his vision was fading in and out of darkness. The boy still refused to let go of his clothing, so he maneuvered very slowly out of his first layer of clothing.

His head now was a ship in a stormy sea. Stumbling into a nearby chair, darkness took over.

* * *

As Stephen returned to consciousness, there was still pressure on his chest. Opening his eyes he looked directly into Kathrin's green orbs who told him to stay put. Looking around as much as possible in his position, Stephen saw the last colors of a sunset to his left and on his right, on the opposite wall, was another bed with the boy-cloak in it.

"Kathrin will get Wong, you don't move."

The pressure on Stephen's chest disappeared and Kathrin left his sight and the room. Five minutes later Kathrin, followed by Wong, came back. The sorcerer pulled a chair out of the corner, sat down besides Stephen and started an explanation:

"You had us worried here Stephen. How were you still conscious as you came here, you must've been in immense pain! Anyway, you just like the other one over there, are out of the danger zone but you still need to rest a few days with little to no movement. Whatever hurt you damaged your connection between your astral form and your body. That leads to my theory: you are still alive, with a physical form, because your body is used to the strain thank to your fight with Dormammu, the Cloak isn't so fortunate. Because it's an object, its essence got separated from the cape resulting in the split up – it can be happy to be so strong and old, normally it would've been torn to shreds because of the strain."

Stephen was silent. Wong's explanation was sound and then it would make sense why the shadow-wolf simply went though the barrier, and him, without shattering it, like it would be if Kathrin overpowered it. The barrier was for the defense from body damage, not mental damage.

"So that is the reason why…" Stephen's voice broke. Wong got up wordlessly and got him a glass of water. He helped Stephen to drink it, who just noticed how thirsty and hungry he was. On clue his stomach started growling. Instead of Wong, Kathrin got up and left the room. Stephen started again:

"This is the reason…why those wolf creatures went simply through me," he looked over to the boy "can we help it?"

Wong followed his gaze. "I don't know. In the last few hours we only took care that you survive and that it doesn't dissolve into thin air. We weren't so far to think about that."

Stephen stared into nothing.

Only as Kathrin came back he snapped out of it, he even missed that Wong had left the room. She carried a small bag in her snout and jumped besides him on the bed. While Kathrin maneuvered the content out of the back, Stephen got a look on her. Her fur was dull and her eyes were shiny from un-shred tears.

"Kathrin was never so scared before. Could not do a thing." She bowed her head. "Your cries. The Cloak's cries. So loudly, so pained. And I could do nothing. Nothing to protect you. _What a fine Protector I am!_ "

"Oh Kathrin."

With a shaking hand he forced Kathrin to look up and wiped away her rolling tears. Hooking his fingers into her collar he pulled the distraught cat on his chest.

"You fool, you haven't failed us. Without you we would've died there. You brought us home, carried us bough the whole way, never letting the creatures touch us again."

"But you got-"

"Shhh, we are all home. That's what matters. And tomorrow we look what we can do for the cloak, today we will rest. You are tired and I am too, and hungry. Sleep Kathrin, you did enough."

While Stephen ate the sandwich, Kathrin snuggled into his arm pits, asleep within minutes.

* * *

The next time Stephen awoke, the sun was filling the room. Kathrin was still asleep on his chest, breathing deep and relaxed. He reached up to wake her gently (before his stomach would do the job, he was hungry again) an noted that his hands weren't shaking as bad as before. Slowly blinking, Kathrin woke up, purring.

"Morning Kathrin. Sorry to wake you but I am hungry."

She rose quickly: "Oh, sure. You are not allowed out of bed to make sure you _aster form_ and body stay connected. I will get you something."

Kathrin came back with Wong, who was carrying a tray with food, and another sorcerer. They helped him to sit up after Stephen realized that his body felt like lead. He ate while the other sorcerer Jannik checked if everything was alright with him. In the end, everything was fine with Stephen and they left him alone after half an hour with the task to call them if the boy-cloak moves.

Bored Stephen stared on the ceiling.

The tree outside threw its shadows inside. As the wind blew through the leafs he saw the wolves returning. Groaning he fell back as his own body pulled him down again after he tried to escape but there were no wolves. Just his mind and his memories. Calming his hummingbird heart, he searched for something to occupy his mind.

"Kathrin can you bring me pens and paper?"

The rest of the day he took notes about the dimension he titled _Werewolves Domain_. Without realizing it, he worked so long until he fell asleep over his notes to keep his mind from worrying over the cloak who hadn't moved all day.

* * *

The next day he stood wobbly on his feet holding onto Kathrin's fur. Making baby steps to the other side of the room he stopped before the boy-cloaks bed. Carefully he pushed a few red locks out of it's face. Surprised he took his hand away as the boy began to stir. With her tail, Kathrin got Stephen a chair and sped of to find Wong.

Before either of the returned the eyes opened blinking.

"Stephen?"

"I am here."

It reached out blindly with his hand and Stephen took it. "I feel so heavy. Why am I back in my body? I thought it would be impossible."

"Remember the shadow-wolves? Instead of attacking physically they attacked mentally, they attacked our connection between body and soul."

"There are creatures who can do that? I guess you never finish learning even if you are decades old. If I have my body for a while I want to-"

Before it – he, it's a boy so it's a he, could finish Wong, Jannik and Kathrin came back. Jannik introduced himself to the boy and checked him throughout like he did yesterday with Stephen. Jannik looked sober.

"You are fine for now. But you have to find a way to get back into the cloak. You are simply a split soul with a nearly non-existent connection to your body. Probably, you have around a week before you disappear. Take the cloak around with you wherever you go and we try to find a solution for you."

The boy looked seriously to Jannik and nodded, that he understood. After that the trio was left alone again, Wong and Jannik going into the library.

"So we will find a solution for you, what do you want to do…ehm…it's strange to call you cloak, do you have a name."

The boy sat up: "I have too many names, pick one for me."

Stephen thought, he needed something different than cloak but nothing to different.

"Cloak…clo…cla...How about Claus?"

"It's fine."

"So…Claus, what do you want to do now?"

He answered without thinking:

"Eat. I want to eat. Haven't tasted something in a long, long time."

"I think that is something we can do. Can you stand up?"

Claus ducked his head and looked away. He mumbled something Stephen couldn't understood. Stephen asked if he could repeat himself. Knitting hands in his lap Claus answered:

"I can't walk. My legs won't move. Why do you think I am a _flying_ artifact?


	20. Claus is part of less that 15 percent

Chapter 20 everyone!

I'm still working on my mobile phone (just like the next three or so weeks) and it's 2am - can't sleep at the moment.

 **KartToon12** : More infos for you in this chapter.

 **galwidanatitude** : I did say you get more infos to the "Werewolves" in this chapter, didn't I? I had to put that a bit further back in the story but it's coming. Anyway you imagined the Cloak to be a girl? To me it had more the expression of a brother to Stephen: it has its own, stubborn head but is a big softy within. It is an interesting thought though.

* * *

Dressed in a few spare clothes Claus half sat, half laid on Kathrin's back on the way to the kitchen with Stephen. Gently Claus let his fingers run through the thick, grey fur on her back intrigued by the tiny, little feathers hidden within. _So soft_. At first he thought that she caught them somewhere but as he twitched on one, it was connected to her underlying skin, resulting in a shiver.

"Why do you have feathers in your pelt? Isn't it normal to either have fur or have feathers?"

"I have never thought about it. Does Stephen have an idea?"

"Me neither. You only have them when you are grown, haven't you?"

Kathrin nodded. Arrived at the kitchen door, Stephen opened it for them and the trio was greeted by Ān and Esra who already made breakfast with the other sorcerers.

"Good morning," they looked interested to the boy on Kathrin's back "so you are the Cloak? Nice to meet you in person."

"Yes I am the cloak, but please, call me Claus."

The room chorused a _hi Claus._ As Stephen lifted him off the back Kathrin's to help him onto a chair, Claus' cheeks reddened. All were staring but no one said something.

The pregnant silence was interrupted by Kathrin who pushed a chair, on purpose loudly, over the floor besides Claus and sat on it, the best in her tall form possible.

"I am hungry, aren't you too?" Kathrin stared around, daring someone to say something. Slowly they turned away and started with breakfast. Stephen sat down on the other side from Claus.

"What do you want? We have egg and bacon in different variations or you can have muesli, we even have pancakes."

Claus head shot up. "Pancakes? I want pancakes, with sugar."

Stephen smiled at the enthusiasm and reached with his arm over the table to the full plate. Claus didn't use a plate for himself. He simply poured sugar over the pancake on top, rolled it and ate each in three large bites. As he saw Kathrin looking interested he held a roll in front of her nose.

"Try it."

Kathrin devoured the pancake in one large bit, purring happy. Laughing, Claus rolled another one and held in front of her snout. Laughing even harder he pulled it away and bit in, as Kathrin wanted to eat it, resulting in a snapping sound as she bit air.

* * *

With a smile on his face Stephen watched the friendly banter of Claus and Kathrin. They looked so happy together. But like a creepy clock, in a church at midnight on a graveyard, the _one week_ remained. They need a way to attach Claus again to the Cloak to save his life. He made a mental note to research the creation of artifacts. Even if the Cloak wasn't 24/7 on his shoulders he could imagine going out without it, even if it was just laying over his arms. It had saved him from Kaecillius, endured Dormammu's wrath and made sure he never stepped in something dangerous.

A hand covered his fist, surprised he opened it. The hand was paler than his own, a bit smaller, with a bigger palm compared to its fingers. It was Claus'. He, just like Kathrin, were silently looking to him.

"We'll find a way. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Stephen opened his arms and pulled them into a hug. Claus put one arm around him and one over Kathrin, burying his face in Stephen's tunic. The hug itself was awkward over the chairs' armrests but it carried the emotions between them better that any words ever could.

As Claus looked up a single tear rolled down Stephen's cheek. Reaching up he wiped it away with his hand. "Have faith in me, have faith in us. I believe in us. We can do it."

Releasing the two, Stephen wiped over his own cheeks again. "Ok. Ok, we can do this. One week, we are done in three days. At first we need more information."

With that he nearly jumped out of his chair going for the exit, before he came back and bend down before Claus with his back to him. "My shoulders are bare Cloak."

Smiling again, Claus put his arms around Stephen's neck and let him be carried out of the room, followed by Kathrin. Together they went into the Kamar-Taj's library to find the infos they needed. Stephen worked on one of the desks and Claus flipped through a few books, leaning onto Kathrin on a few cushions.

* * *

It was probably late evening as Stephen had a basic understanding about creating artifacts and how they worked. Simpler ones like the sling ring had energy stored within them from one or more sorcerer. They would be worn out over the time of usage like any other normal day-to-day tool. Like dull knives, they could be sharpened again. With the difficulty of the artifact the minimum of stored energy to work grew. The most complex ones like the Cloak work with parts of a sorcerer's astral form, in Claus' case with the whole, to achieve the needed energy. An always regenerating power source. And the astral forms are the strongest without a mortal body who uses most of the energy to function. As stronger the sorcerer as stronger the astral form as stronger the artifact. He had to shiver at the though that about 85% of the complex artifacts work with a astral form from an ex-sorcerer who didn't give his consent for its creation. An astral form disappears after time without a body and the body dies instantly if no connection to the astral form could be made.

With a glance at Claus and Kathrin, he saw her curled protectively around a sleeping Claus. If he was happy about being an artifact? Stephen remembered that Claus said: " _Why do you think I am a flying artifact?_ " it didn't sound like someone forced him to be one.

"I can hear you thinking."

Kathrin was awake. Still curled around Claus, her green eyes looked up to Stephen.

"I was wondering how Claus turned into Cloak. Now I understand how artifacts work but we still don't have a way to help Claus."

"We do. Remember the tall, old lady. What was her name…Lina? With her shop who didn't believe that I have the ability of communication?"

"Oh, you mean Wong's friend Lisa. You're a genius Kathrin!"

* * *

Without further explanation from the kitchen:

"We did act like aholes, didn't we?"


	21. back again for a possibility

Hey everyone!

(I'm still working on my phone and I am not satisfied with this chap, sadly I don't know why)

 **galwidanatitude** : I wasn't really sure if I should use the name Claus for the human Cloak, but I chose it for the similarity to Cloak. Really, I was waiting for some Santa Claus jokes.

 **KarToon12** : Answers for you in this chap.

* * *

After Stephen awoke from a nice and highly needed sleep he heard someone rummaging in the bathroom, curious he stood up and walked to the door. As he pushed the handle down a _thump_ stopped him from entering – Kathrin was pushing the door close from the inside.

"One second Stephen, were finished in a moment."

In wonder he went back to his bed, sat down on the edge and waited. He heard the two giggling and laughing. The door opened and out came Claus on Kathrin's back – with his clothes on! The duo laughed even harder at Stephen's facial expression of disbelief. The blue clothes were a bit too large just as the cloak around his shoulders was a bit too long. His red hair was shorter now and the sides were fixed to the back of his head. The left overs from the hair cut were badly glued to Claus face to imitate Stephen's beard.

Stephen laughed, hard.

* * *

They went to Wong after Claus cleaned his face from the hair and gave Stephen his clothes back with the exception of the cloak – it was still wrapped around Claus. The veteran sorcerer nearly smacked his forehead, that he hadn't thought about going to Lisa. As Wong opened a portal for them, Claus interrupted:

"Stephen can you carry me?" He looked embarrassed to the side. "Lisa wasn't very… _joyous_ after she heard Kathrin talking the last time. I think she wouldn't react well to her grown big and strong."

"It's alright," Stephen laid a hand on the boy's shoulder making him look up again "no need to be embarrassed, normally you carry me, you even fly me around. But you are right, Lisa wouldn't react well. Come on my back."

There was a moment of thinking, about leaving Kathrin with Wong to save her from any ill reaction, on the other hand she was great comfort for Claus and she was a very dear friend. So no leaving of Kathrin behind.

Lisa's shop inside had a completely different inventory than the last time they visited, but it was no less stuffed. Maneuvering between an ancient looking vase on a desk and an old globe, they found the shop-lady, crouching on the floor, ordering books Stephen never would dare to touch because they looked like they would crumble immediately into dust.

"Good evening Lisa, could you spare a moment."

Lisa looked up.

"Oh hello…Dr. Stefan, right? You were the one with the strange last name."

"It's Stephen."

"Than I'm not too far off."

She stood up quickly and due to her size, she hit her head on a box atop of the bookshelf, making it nearly topple off. Wincing she pushed the box further back and brushed imaginary dust of her trousers to cover up the incident.

"Ehm…you did have a cat, didn't you?"

Kathrin appeared hesitantly behind Stephens legs. With the shock she had felt the last time in mind, she looked up expecting to the woman. The pose itself hurt in her neck, as she had to look up even further than Stephen from the floor, but she had promised herself to not shy away for the sake of Claus. Kathrin can take it. The pain of words.

Lisa looked torn. She looked away from the staring cat, scratching the back of her head: "I-…I didn't react well the last time…I acted... _inappropriate_. Wong gave me a big lecture…I am sorry."

Lisa waited for a reply – words, shouting, anything. What she didn't expect was Kathrin who brushed her head against her leg. Slowly Lisa crouched down and petted Kathrin's head carefully. Collecting a bit of courage, Lisa grabbed with one hand below Kathrin's belly, picking her up and steadied her hinder legs with the other. It was…nice.

Stephen coughed. Lisa snapped out of her thoughts and let Kathrin down. "Oh, excuse me. What do you wanted from me?"

The sorcerer turned a bit so Lisa could see Claus, who kind of hid on his back and explained the situation. "To make it short: you see this is Claus, or the energy-body from the Cloak of Levitation. He and the cloak were separated as we visited a dimension and were attacked. Do you have an idea how to reverse it?"

"Hmm, I indeed have an idea. I could try to simply bind him again to the cloak. Like any other artifact with a complexity like him is done. My problem is that I am not able to perform the needed spell. Not because I don't know how, rather because I lack the energy. I'm at the lowest bottom in a rankin of energy-strength, it's a miracle that I can make a sling-ring every once in a while."

"How could we get the needed energy? Maybe you could teach me the spell."

Lisa shifted her weight from one foot to the other and sighed: "I guess I _could_ teach you how to perform the spell. By the time you are able to master it, it's too late for Cloa- Claus. He looks like he only has a few days left, his skin starts to get a shiny glow."

In a mixture of shock and surprise Stephen turned his head around, the old lady was right. It was barely noticeable but it was there. Lisa continued:

"I need two days to fully prepare everything. You are not allowed to do any more magic tricks besides the portal home, Wong shall bring you back to me in two days. When you are fully rested your energy may be enough to bind Claus and Cloak back together. I can make no promises. Bear in mind that we make the most difficult artifact possible with a whole astral form."

"Thank you very, very much Lisa. We'll see than each other in two days."

Lisa nodded. Claus reached with a hand out to Kathrin and who jumped in his arms. With watery eyes the boy pressed her to his chest and his face into Kathrin's fur. Stephen bid goodbye and opened the portal back home. Before they fully went through, Lisa stopped them for a moment.

"Hey, Kathrin! The collar suits you."

Kathrin smiled back.


	22. the story nobody knew

A little **warning** for this chap.

This one is probably my **most emotional** one so far, with many **negative** ones.

Even if I personally didn't like my previous chapter, I love this one with my whole heart. As you probably guessed, my story is after the events of the movie and with that an AU story - here you read what I think could made the cloak into the Cloak we know.

 **KarToon12** : Kathrin will help in another way. You can guess if you want, what she does, but I won't reveal it/say anything about it until the very end of the story.

* * *

Claus didn't lifted his head out of Kathrin's fur until they reached their room. Stephen putted the shivering boy, with the cat in bis arms, on the sofa. Legs pulled up and holding tightly onto Kathrin, Claus looked miserable with his teary eyes.

"I- I…am s…scared."

With that, teardrop after teardrop fell. Stephen sat down besides him and pulled him into his arms. A bit awkward at first but steadier with time, he stroke carefully thought the red hair and Claus simply cried and cried. He was nearly soundless, only a sharp intake of breath every once in a while. No sniveling, no sobbing – only tears.

Stephen didn't know what to say. The boy in his arms was eerily silent while he cried, so unlike the few people he had seen crying or the sobbing people displayed in films. Those were loud, shouting out their pain, cursing, but Claus was quiet. Just _quiet_. He didn't know what was bothering the boy, there was no seeable threat or injury. It had to be something with the procedure of turning back to Cloak but Stephen didn't wanted to upset the boy even further by recalling worse memories.

After an unknown period of time, the tears became less and Claus started explaining by himself. Stagnant at first but more secure after a while:

"I– It had…hurt. The last time hurt…as I was turned into Cloak. It's n–not that…I did not…want to be Cloak."

Claus hugged Kathrin with one hand tighter and dug the other deeper into Stephen's clothes.

"I–my legs were useless…I n–never could have helped anyone….People always helped me…never could do things – alone. Just because of those… _legs_. It was one–one mistake. Happy they said. I should be _happy_ to survive…but all those looks of pity, all those people pitying me. Wanted to do things on my own. Never. See the world, see the fishes in the sea sea with my own eyes. Feel the relief and aching muscles after climbing high mountains. Run through the sand, dance with the fireflies, go to see the milky way…never…never did I anything of this. We had enough to live…we even could afford holidays every few years. But at first…I didn't remember the first time, than I was too young for anything spectacular far away, then my brother came, then was my accident."

Claus look grew distant and he stared through the window to the sun. He was so angry with himself that he had started to forget his family. There were so many holes in his memory. Shutting his eyes to recall a few happy memory moments who were left, Claus continued.

"They cared for me – a lot. I loved them with all my heart, but I was _useless_. People pointed in my direction, laughed at me and I was protected, time and time again by my brother – my **younger** brother. I should've looked after him not the other way around….And one fateful day, I met a sorcerer, the first sorcerer I ever met. He tried to help me and after a year I could wiggle my toes again. It wasn't enough for me. I wanted to run and play like other boys, not just wiggle my toes like I had to wiggle my thumbs. I grew desperate. The sorcerer knew how to make artifacts, he showed me. I never was strong or skilled enough to do one one my own, or even a sling ring! I began to read, inform myself. _Depending on how much from the astral form is saved in an artifact, the artifact itself can be sentimental up to completely copying the memories of the astral form._ I read. It's simply another body. I thought. I begged him to turn me into an artifact – he refused. _Too much pain_ , he said. With the help of my brother I searched for a willing sorcerer. As I went my way he gave me his cloak to remember by and as I found the willing sorcerer, a very shady one if I look back now, I used the cloak as my new body. I wanted to fly, to escape my unmoving legs."

Claus body went limp in Stephen's arms. The boy simply stared at the ceiling and brushed through Kathrin's fur who purred soothingly.

"I forgot any warning my friend had said. Then I laid in the magical circle. My astral form separated itself from my body – I felt so light, but as soon as the sorcerer started to bind me to the Cloak…so much **pain**. Like ripped into two, turned inside out and cooked over the fires of hell. I cried, shouted to stop but the sorcerer continued, laughing at my pain. I tried to remember how to go back into my body but he took a knife, he killed my body. And he killed my brother who tried to save me. He continued and finished the ritual. Never once was I unconscious. For a while I only registered the maniac laughing from the sorcerer. Then I started to regain conscious about my surroundings. I was laying on the floor, felt light. I could not only see the ceiling. I could, at the same time, see the floor, to the left and right. I saw everything, ok, it was more like felt were everything was but I can't explain the difference. Th-Then he…he."

Claus started crying again. Still, he kept going.

"He collected me off the floor and pulled me onto his shoulders. I had to do **everything** he said, carry him **everywhere** he wanted. I was so happy as someone finally succeeded to killed him. I shouldn't be happy about the death of someone but I was and _I still am_. Since then I was careful of whom I'd let carry me."

Claus smiled sad and laughed humorlessly.

"I went to a few places I wanted to see but I never felt them."

Stephen's own feelings were so over the place that he nearly felt numb. He grabbed the boy tighter and the three rolled into one, cuddly, protective ball. He murmured softly soothing into the boy's hair, how he would never let anything happen to him and how they would spent the remaining time, doing the things he always wanted to.

 _They had found a solution in under three days, it would take a bit longer to finish it._

Kathrin never stopped purring. The Cloak, Claus was besides Stephen her only friend. Even if they had to kidnap Wong or another sorcerer, she swore herself to get him wherever he wanted to be.

And they kidnapped Wong the next day. Ok, not "kidnapped". Wong volunteered after they told him a mild version, how this would be the only chance to do something Claus always wanted to do.

In the remaining one and a half days Wong, Kathrin and Stephen took Claus to (even if Stephen had to take it easy to be fully rested):

1.Snorkeling in Egypt. Claus nearly swallowed salt water because a boxfish inflated after he had pushed water against it and he had to laugh.

2.To the Alps. Claus even dragged himself up a bolder stone, bumping a shaky fist into the air in triumph. After the sunset, the sky was clear, so they could make out were the milky way was.

And

3.Much to their surprise they found fireflies. Claus eyes lit up like on Christmas. Surrounded by trees, sitting on damp grass with the burbling of a river in the background, they let the fireflies dancing around them.

* * *

When the time arrived Stephen had rested for nearly twelve hours – eight of that asleep – on the back of Kathrin. Her back hurt from his weight but she never complained and carried him right into Lisa's shop. Claus was carried by Wong.

In the back of her shop, shielded from any normal _muggle_ customers, Lisa had made a wide space free from antiquities. On the floor was a mandala drawn with white chalk. Claus froze up completely at the sight. Carefully Stephen stood up and pried Claus' hands off Wong's clothes. For a few minutes he held him simply in his arms before he stepped into the middle of the circle, cautious about the white lines, and laid him down. On the edge of crying, gripping tightly onto his own arms Claus laid in the middle. Below him was the Cloak and in his mind. he was back at the first time, imagining wicked laugher. Stephen stepped reluctant back and Kathrin walked to the distraught boy.

She tipped him with her paw – he didn't react.

She nudged his sides – he didn't react.

Only as she licked through his face his mind came back to the present.

"Kath-I can only guess how much it has to pain you. You are now glowing like a firefly yourself. But Claus, you are not alone. I am here. Stephen is here. Hey, Wong and Lisa are here."

She searched for a feather in the pelt of her still grown form. It was hard without hands but she managed. Kathrin gave Claus one of her feathers, with a bit of ripped off pelt. He grabbed with both hands onto it and shouted:

"Do it, **do it now** before I'll never do it!"

Kathrin stepped back with a sad smile on her face. Lisa instructed Stephen to sit beside her and hold a hand onto her shoulder. She made a series of hand moves with the eyes closed and stomped them down inside of the outermost circle. The mandala started to glow. It separated itself from the floor and lifted Claus with it into the air, turning and twisting around him. They waited for cries of pain but Claus remained silent through the whole ordeal. Besides the glow Claus already possessed his hands glowed even brighter. From there the light swallowed him and the Cloak whole, forcing everyone to close the eyes or to look away. Stephen felt himself grew tired but he held onto Lisa's shoulder. If it hurt her, she didn't said anything.

Like someone used the off switch, the light was gone. Stephen fell forward in exhaustion. His vision was blurry and rapidly blinking he tried to regain control over it again, failing.

A familiar weight fell over his shoulders, holding onto him tight, but not too tight and picked him off the floor, levitating him a bit over the remains of the mandala.


	23. one mighty soul

With this somewhat double chapter I bring the _cloak as human_ arc comes fully to an end and the story starts to its (hopefully) grand finale.

 **galwidanaltitude** **KarToon12** : wanna have some tissues?

 **Mieper** : Glad you like it :)

* * *

They waited a day until the trio continued with their weekly routine. In addition to the lessons from Master Hamir and Wong, they researched ways to protect the connection between astral form and body. Somewhat luckily, there was an artifact in London who could help them. Somewhat unluckily: it could only be used by one person because it was a black-silver headband. They had agreed to travel back to the _Werewolves_ _Domain_ to fully explore it and to – what hung

wordlessly between them – avenge the Cloak and take the lingering fear head-on.

With the headband between them Kathrin and Stephen, with the Cloak in his lap, sat on the bed, lighted by the last sun rays of the day. The sorcerer had his notes about this hostile dimension in his left hand, reading the few facts he collected out loud to Kathrin, asking her if she had others.

"I don't think so. Maybe you could add, that they rely on nose and ears instead of eyes, but I don't know if they are blind. When I think of it, they didn't attack Kathrin. They always aimed for you and Claus, not for me."

Stephen was astonished about that small fact. He added the _smell and sound instead of sight_ fact to his notes and wrote in big letters **why not Kathrin?** on a separate paper. On this hand-sized one were all unanswered questions. Like, _what the light-creature in the cathedral was_ or _why there was no trace of the wolves during the day_. In the end, sorcerer and cat fell asleep and were rearranged into a more comfortable position and covered by the Cloak.

* * *

In the following two days they found no solution for missing ways of protection. Stephen made himself ready for the day and Kathrin stared at the black headband with silver patterns. With a raised brow the sorcerer watched the cat for a few minutes.

"Kathrin. What are you doing?"

"Shhh, I am searching for a solution."

Kathrin looked to him, back to the band and back to Stephen again.

"I have an idea! Claus, Stephen come over!"

She directed the Cloak onto Stephens shoulders and let them sit on the floor in front of the bed. Carrying the band in her snout she instructed Stephen to bind it around his neck as tightly as possible with one long end. Now sitting on the bed, Kathrin flipped the collar of the Cloak up and reached over Stephen's shoulder to pull the long end of the band around the collar as well. Essentially binding the Cloak's collar around Stephen neck to cover them both at the same time with the band.

"Unconventional, a bit uncomfortable, but it's a way."

Kathrin looked proud and nodded to herself.

"Let's hope they really do not chase after me."

They cancelled Stephen's lesson for the day and got a small first-aid-kit from Jannuk. _Jannuk_ was the twin brother of _Jannik_ who was currently not available. It took them a bit until they had noticed the difference between the twins. Everything looked exactly the same except for a very small detail: Jannuk was left-handed while Jannik was right-handed. For ten minutes straight, they called Jannuk by the name of his brother. He simply laughed with a humorous smile – Stephen didn't want to know what pranks they pulled during their childhood.

Re-binding his shoelaces, Stephen checked if they had everything. In a backpack were the first-aid-kit, a thick blanket, a bottle of water and a few food-bars and a can of sardines. In the back pocket of his trousers were a small notepad two pens and the folded _unanswered questions_ notes. With the cloak tied awkwardly around his neck and Kathrin already grown at his side, a concerned Wong bid the trio good-bye.

* * *

They emerged though the portal right besides the entrance of the mystical cathedral. The sun stood high and the heavy doors were closed again. Just like the last time they barely got them open. The sunlight glowed through the colorful window, displaying their pictures on the completely empty, polished floor. They followed the same sad music to find the light-being. It was at the same spot, in the same room, at the same position.

For a moment it glowed brighter as it saw and recognized them.

"You are alive!" It sounded happy and relieved. "Then why are you back? As long as you are here you are in great danger."

Stephen had a serious look on his face and took a deep breath: "We didn't came home unscathed. Especially Claus, my friend in the Cloak," he patted on his right, covered shoulder while it's end wrapped around his other hand "was severely hurt. I am Supreme Sorcerer Stephen Strange of Midgard, part of the Yggdrasil. Together with my companions Claus and Kathrin, I wanted to explore this world and answer a few questions, which were left open after our hurried departure."

The being stood up; it towered Stephen easily. The legs ended in pointy tips with no recognizable feet and the hands were very large in contrast. Cautiously it reached out with his hands to him and touched Stephen's chest. Looking surprised it tapped a few times more against him and took a step back.

"You seem to have prepared yourself Stephen Strange." He nearly throw a _doctor_ in it's speech but he let it slide for the moment. "I once was called Solas, you may call me so as well. You speak of a Kathrin who accompanies you, yet I see no one else that you or your Cloak – Claus was it?"

Kathrin who stood right besides Stephen looked taken aback. "I am right here!"

Solas looked hectically around. "Were are you, show yourself!"

"I am _right_ here. To the right of Stephen."

It crouched down and grabbed in the area right to Stephen. Solas brushed over her head and nose, resulting in a sneeze from Kathrin. They only blinked and it hid lightning fast under the cushions on the floor.

"B-b-be gone s-spirit. M-my light won't g-give you strength."

She tilted her head and looked equally confused like Stephen.

"Why would I need your light? As long as it is not dark-drenched-night I can see my surroundings just fine. And I am not a spirit. I am a Protector. I am Kathrin."

Shakily Solas' head came out between the pillows.

"You are not going to devour me? You'll protect me?"

"Why should I eat you? And I protect Stephen and Claus, but as long as I am here I can look after you as well."

"You will? Can I…feel…where you are?"

She nodded until she realized that Solas couldn't see her and approved verbally it's question. Crawling out of the pillows, Solas stopped in front of – where it thought Kathrin would be, quite accurate – and reached out to feel were she is.

Stephen watched the scene before him with an careful eye. The light-being, _Solas_ , just like the shadow-wolves didn't took notice of Kathrin. He voiced his thoughts and asked about those shadow-wolves because there could've been a possible connection. Solas sat down again and pointed Stephen to do the same.

"I may begin with the shadow creatures in general. We had so many animals here, all kinds, forms and shades; many travelers came from other dimensions. And one day something came, large and purple – it ate many, many from the animals. That wouldn't have been a problem would they all have died. The being may have ate their body's, but the souls remained. And like there is in every living thing the will to survive so was it in those souls. But without substantiation they would've died. So the souls devoured other animals at first, then the travelers until no one else came, and then they came after us. You must know, we only need the sun every few days to survive, so the animal-shortage wasn't a problem for us."

Solas reached out and took Stephen's hand in its, playing with the fingers. Stephen, on the verge of pulling away gave him a bewildered glance. The light-being seemed to ignore it.

"But we don't live in shelters, _houses_ , we have no use for them. Trees are enough. We were easy prey. I found refuge in this cathedral some people build decades ago and I know there are more out there and I hope others found shelter too. When my memory serves me right it's not even a two day walk from here to the north. But I am only save as long as the sun shines. Rotten things have a distaste for sunlight."

It stopped. Carefully, to not seem offending, Stephen took his hand back. It tingled a bit, like a leg if you crouched too long. "Solas, what **are** those shadow wolves?"

It sighed and continued. "Souls normally die, not devour other souls. They rot further and further with every soul they ate, giving them a visible body. The wolves are the last ones remaining. As hunting, bigger-than-ant-sized, in a pack living animals their souls had an advantage. They ate other souls but never each other, they are hunting together instead of alone. These Shadows are desperate now, the packs hunt each other, stronger than ever, and you should've been the next meal for one. How do you manage to get away?"

Stephen told Solas their experience in a few sentences. Taking out the unanswered question notes he scratched all but one away: why not Kathrin?

Before they could have discussed the topic any further Solas started to fade away. "With the sun I disappear, with the sun I come back. The cathedral's magic puts me to sleep. I will close the big doors outside and you those here. Make yourself comfortable here and you should be save from the wolves. I will return with the sunrise."

With that Solas was gone. They heard the big doors closing and Stephen pushed the small one shut. Now the trio sat in the room filled with cushions and lit with a single torch. Their shadows danced on the walls.

With a not really identifiable expression Kathrin looked to Stephen.

"What now?"

"We eat, we drink, we sleep. Let us see what the morning brings."

The night itself wasn't pleasant, especially for Kathrin. While Stephen fell asleep after a while of rolling around, she could hear the wolves howling. They knew that they were down here. Scraping and Scratching at the closed doors of the cathedral, howling and attracting even more packs who joined them. Occasionally packs turned against each other but for now they had a common goal: get the duo they felt inside. Sighing, Kathrin let herself shrink and covered her ears with her paws in vain. With one of his ends, Claus reached out to her and she took the invitation. Curled into a ball with eyes shut tightly, Kathrin laid against Stephen's back covered protectively by Claus.

* * *

Kathrin awoke startled at the rustling of the cushions. The torch was out and she squinted her eyes to see what made the sound. Stephen was still sleeping in the same position. At first barely visible light appeared, it grew – never blinding – and shaped into something. Into Solas. Relieved she let out her breath she didn't realized she was holding. It heard her.

"Sorry, that I have startled you Kathrin. The night is fading. You have to get up if you want to use the day."

Solas sat down besides Stephen and brushed through Stephen's hair to wake him gently, not caring the looks it got from them. The trio ate a bit and with Solas they went to the large main hall. Stephen turned to it.

"You said there was another shelter to the north, could you lead us?"

A bit troubled Solas looked to the window.

"I guess…I could. But we need more than the day to get there. I'm completely defenseless out in the open."

Before Stephen had the chance to ask Kathrin, she stood beside Solas – making the being jump a bit in surprise:

"I can carry you. We will be much faster that way."

The sorcerer who saw the dark circles under her eyes gave her an _are you serious?_ look, she nodded determined. Unseen from Solas, she grew as large as a pony. Stephen took Solas' hand and sat it on her back, surprised about the lack of weight from the being. It grabbed unsure into the to the, for it invisible, fur and relaxed visibly as Stephen sat down behind it.

"You have to show us the way."

Solas nodded. With an easy flick of his hand the doors opened and Kathrin moved outside. It pointed to the left and said, that they only have to travel in a straight line to reach the next shelter and that Kathrin did. She was lucky that Solas weighted nearly nothing, even if she didn't wanted to admit it, the sleepless night tore at her concentration.

Left front-paw followed by the right.

The hinder legs nearly at the same time, pushing her forward.

Catching the weight with the front-paws.

Repeat.

Stephen watched worried as her breathing grew heavier, but she continued running. No one said anything.

* * *

As the sun started setting and Solas grew more and more worried with each minute. "It shouldn't be long anymore." Is sounded more like a reassurance to itself instead of an actual time-giving.

Solas balled his hands into fists and grew rigid as the first howling came. Pushing herself to her limit, Kathrin ran even faster, not caring about stifling her rapid breathing.

Steps and more steps sounded behind them and even louder howling. Stephen looked around in anticipation and re-checked the band around his neck and the cloak, Solas simply shut his eyes in fear.

Shadows were now running beside them through the woods but with a mighty leap over a row of wolves they stepped onto an open field with a small church – and many shadow wolves. They wouldn't be able to go though the front entrance.

"S-Stephen," Kathrin got out between hear breaths "take Solas…hff…see the wind…hff…ow up…there? Cl-aus…hff…get them…get them up…hff…there."

Stephen held onto Solas and forced him to let go of Kathrin, the Cloak lifted them up to the window Kathrin mentioned. Up there something opened it, pulled them inside and closed it again.

Kathrin stumbled and fell to the floor. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Clearing her swimming vision she stood up wobbly with burning muscles. The wolves truly didn't went after her, but a few very large and dark ones started sniffing the air, smelling it in search for her. With protesting muscles she throw herself at the wolf nearest to her. Instead of passing through she tackled it to the ground. In full survival mode she bit it in the throat, killing it successfully. The surrounding wolves turned to their fallen comrade in wonder before falling over his remains.

She only continued, death wasn't an option.

* * *

"We have to get Kathrin." Those were Solas' first words. In the inside were three more light-beings, who grabbed each others hand. One in the same shade of blue like Solas and two in yellow.

"Whom brother? There is no one else outside. It's astonishing that you have those two children in your company." It was the blue one talking back.

"She is still there, I swear on my light. We have to get her inside! Don't you hear the wolves falling?"

"Even if, we cannot open the doors, were instantly dead."

Stephen stepped in, a mixture of fury and worry in his face. "We need to get Kathrin inside. **Now!** "

Each yellow-being grabbed one of his arms, rooting him in place with a surprising strength; they talked in union.

"We're sorry for the loss. We feel her determination. There is nothing we can do anymore. Making an opening anew in the barrier would crumble it into pieces."

"How can we simply _abandon_ her?!"

Stephen tried to free his arms, he felt the Cloak pulling at him to help, but the beings held him firmly in place.

"We are sorry."

" **No!** "

Stephen called the magic to his arms. They let go of him immediately, like something burned them. He ran down creaky, wooden stairs; between rows of benches and pushed at the door with the momentum. It opened enough for him to squeeze through.

The outside was a mess.

With sloppy moves Kathrin jumped at the wolves and those fell over the remains. A few wounds on her body oozed black much to his horror. The strongest looking ones tried to hit Kathrin – the invisible danger – by chance.

With Stephen outside they focused on him, he was visible to them. Hovering over the floor thanks to the Cloak and with an arm-barrier and whip equipped he joined the melee.

After the first five wolves he lost count. It was a simple, jet deadly dance. Him or them, till the last one standing. He couldn't believe he was fighting as long as he had as the first sun rays came and the remaining wolves fled. Exhaustion hit him like a sledgehammer, letting him fall to his knees. A few meters ahead of him laid Kathrin on the floor, small and completely black, his eyes widened.

Behind him the doors opened and one yellow one carried him inside and the other carried Kathrin. Solas – he only recognized him due to his height – lost his complete blue color. Yellow hands covered his eyes, he tried to struggle but fell into darkness.

* * *

As Stephen awoke he fell light-headed. Looking around the redly illuminated church he found Kathrin sitting on the altar on the Cloak. No black visible, back to her shade of silver-grey, only a tear in her right earlobe was left of the battle. Her facial expression however, told a different story.

Solas helped the sorcerer to his companions. It was still a bit pale but had its bluish coloration back.

"We know now why we, just like the wolves, couldn't see Kathrin. She is a very, very mighty soul…"

Kathrin interrupted:

"I am _dead_ Stephen!"


	24. definition of life and death

I'm sorry, that I kept you waiting, especially after the last chapter, but my last school-year had started and I needed to sort through a few things.

 **Guest** : For your first question: the answer is coming, for your second: he used this magical-light-whip-thing from the Dr. Strange movie.

 **KarToon12** : I actually had to look up what you mean with "the sixth sense". It sounds like an interesting film to me but if you got the felling that I "sixth sensed" you – it wasn't intentional. What Kathrin is? Saying it outright would spoil the fun. What are you thinking?

 **galwidanatitude** : _How do you define death?_

* * *

" **What**?!"

Stephen couldn't believe it. Kathrin was _dead_? He sped up and tripped over the staircase. With his hands he barely caught himself at the edge of the altar. The Cloak was completely wrapped around the crying Kathrin and Stephen pulled them into his arms, holding them tight.

"How can that be? I have you in my arms and you are crying!"

She buried her face in his clothes. A blue glowing hand petted Stephen's head lightly, Solas'.

"What I was trying to tell you, just like Kathrin before, is that she is a spirit – a _living_ _soul_. That means she has no physical body.

Softly, Kathrin mewed "See I am actually dead."

"How do you define death? Death means only no existence. Life is a spectrum. In the middle we have beings like Stephen, they have a co-existing soul and body. Than we have on one end beings like me and the Cloak, whose body and soul are fused resulting in a high energy reserve, and on the other side those, who are either a soul or a body. Those are the weakest forms of life and normally can't sustain them self. Souls dissolve if they don't find a source of energy and simple bodies rot away – or are controlled by someone. But, please keep your hands away from black magic."

The other blue light-being sat with crossed arms on a bench and the two, yellow others guided Stephen to sit down on the stairs. They continued the explanation simultaneously:

"For us beings of one end it's difficult to see the average, weak soul – the other end of the spectrum. That's why we noticed the shadow-creatures far too late to make any effective preparing against them. That's the reason too, why we only saw Kathrin as she was covered in the rotten energy of the wolves. We removed it off her and now we can't see her again even if we know that she is here. The Cloak is strong enough to see – sense – her, it has more than double of our energy."

Stephen just like Kathrin let the words sink in. Carefully he brushed though her fur and Kathrin's stream of tears stopped. With red-puffy eyes she looked up to him and around, asking quietly:

"So, I am not dead?"

"You live, so you are not dead."

She snuggled deeper into Stephen's embrace. For minutes they simply sat together on the stairs

* * *

They weren't sure how long they sat together. Kathrin had calmed down and ate the last bits of sardines. After the long time of total silence, Stephen's low voiced question felt overly loud. "I still don't understand why the wolves didn't see Kathrin."

The light-beings looked at each other before answering: "That, we don't know either."

He sighed heavily. Things were getting really confusing about what Kathrin actually is. The Cloak settled once more on his shoulders and he made sure that he had everything, never letting go of the furball in his arm. Their goodbyes were short in words but touchy, everyone of light-beings petted their heads at least once.

Stephen made the portal right into their room. It was dark and raining outside, Wong could wait until the morning. On the bed he laid on his back, Claus draped loosely over his chest and Kathrin sitting on his stomach. Her eyes were glassy and she stared into nothing.

"You know Kathrin, I don't care what you are. All I care about is, that you are here…and I am here if you need me."

She smiled a teary smile and said a silent _thank_ _you_ , leaning into the touch of the sorcerer. The lamp light reflected in the tag of her collar, flashing the sanctum's sign on the wall. There were no words to show the inner emotionally turmoil, so they simply were together until the sleep claimed them.

* * *

In the morning Wong was easily found and reported to. Stephen wanted to tell him about Kathrin being a spirit but something stopped him so he left that detail out; he wasn't sure what it was but he found it alright after he saw her grateful smile. The twins, Jannuk and Jannik checked them through but found nothing other than dirt, resulting in a shower with a struggling Cloak. They had let the bathroom dry by itself.

Mid-day they watched a few sorcerers training hand-to-hand combat and ate with them dinner. Annegret, a bit chubbier sorceress and Esra who were returning some books, asked a few questions about his trip as he made his notes in the library but he kept the answers short.

It took Stephen two more days filled of ice-creams and warm baths to get Kathrin back into her bubbly, happy personality. No one noticed anything besides the little bit of missing flesh in her right ear, but Stephen just like Claus noticed a new seriousness to Kathrin, that wasn't there before, she was more alert.

* * *

The tear in her ear carried she around with pride, knowing that she barely escaped death as she won the fight with Stephen. And she knew that the sorcerer only kept up as long as he had because Solas lended him some of his energy. It was a scary felling as she felt her consciousness slipping away replaced by something that was focused on killing the wolves. Not as a protection - by the end of the melee it was killing for fun and that was it, what she was afraid of. Never before had she felt the urge to kill, the cries of the dying were a sick symphony she had actually enjoyed during the fight. She shuddered.

Just like in the last nights, where Kathrin was awake on the sofa for a few hours each, the cloak made sure that Stephen was asleep and wrapped around the alien cat. It tried to give her a feeling of safety, swinging her softly back and forth until she was asleep again. Then it picked her up placing her on the sorcerer's chest who took her, without realizing it, into his arms. The two skidded, asleep, a bit around for a few minuted before finding a comfortable position. In the darkness Claus' collar bobbed up and down, like it would nod to itself, contend with the result and it laid down over them.


	25. white walls

New chap for you!

 **KarToon12** : I'm glad you like it. I normally fear to do too much extra lore.

 **galwidanatitude** : Friends stick together.

* * *

"Say Kathrin, what do you normally do?"

"What do you mean normally?"

"I mean: what do you do for fun?"

Kathrin thought for a moment. There wasn't much between sleep and guarding the All-Knowing – she was a great story-teller and kept them entertained with riddles and puzzles during duty. In those few free moments she had, she painted patterns on the walls or carved things into the stones.

"There isn't much time for me, but when, then I like to carve things in stone. Or I paint something on the walls."

"Shall we look for some stones?"

Her face brightened up. An hour before they had greeted two new students, so they had to cancel the dimension travel for the day and now were sitting somewhat task-less in the library. Stephen pulled out his smartphone and searched for the nearest abandoned stone quarry to which they went.

* * *

Cautious there looked around and picked two stones. To Stephen's wonder Kathrin carried her fist-sized stone in her snout.

"Doesn't it hurt your teeth?"

"N-ow"

He raised a brow, but she didn't seem to be in pain so he didn't comment on it further. On his shoulders Claus pulled him down, forcing Stephen to kneel. He made a protesting sound but the Cloak picked one stone off the floor with one end and flicked playfully his collar in Stephen's face. The trio shared a laugh and went with now three stones back home.

For their work they choose the backyard of the Kamar-Taj, even if it was there late evening. Stephen grabbed hammer and gouge from a toolbox they had found in the basement. Kathrin eyed the tools warily.

"How do you work on stone? Your claws?"

"How else? Can you not use your claws?"

"I only have fingernails, those aren't strong enough."

"How unpractical."

Stephen shrugged with his shoulders. He had the tools and that had to be enough for him. With the unusual trio sitting together it was a comical sight with a cat smashing her claws onto a stone, a human smashing his thumb every once in a while and a flying cloak equipped with gouge and hammer.

For a little more than an hour, the only sound filling the 'yard were the shings of tool meeting stone with a few sounds of pain in-between.

Because of the lack of ideas Stephen, now with wrapped up thumbs, had made a crudely looking cat-face. He looked over to the work of Kathrin and saw a neatly carved feather - she was good, really good.

"Do you have a few colors to paint on the stone?"

They didn't find colors somewhere laying around but the shop in London, where they got Stephen's folders, had some for them. Only later on Stephen noticed, that he had forgotten to change his sorcerer attire into something more normal - _boring_. It would explain the looks he got.

* * *

Together they were now sitting at Stephen's newspaper-plastered desk surrounded by pots of colors. The cloak hovered behind them - away from the paint. Stephen colored his cat-faced stone in same as Kathrin's fur. Silver-grey base, a darker nose and green dots for the eyes. Kathrin made her feather with a blue base-color and a stripe in red and yellow each.

"Kathrin, why those colors? They are quite unusual."

"You see, different colors have different meanings. We normally do not paint things like they look in reality. Blue means peace or calmness, yellow means happiness or friend and red stands for strength and trust. ... This is for you."

Kathrin pushed the still wet stone over to Stephen. With a smile he thanked her and petted her head.

"Tell me more about the colors, why give them meanings?"

"All of my comrades have grey fur like me. A few may wary in shade but their still grey. To distinguish ourselves better and to bring more life into our monoton-colored surroundings, we paint on the walls and to special occasions on our fur. It would be too much work to always clean ourselves and redo it every time, so fur - only special occasions. But those are very big events: You gather your friends and they paint on your fur in the colors they deem fit for you. Most of the times I get red and a bit of blue and lilac. Lilac stands for loyalty and pride."

"So blue, red and yellow are the colors you would give me?"

Kathrin ducked her head: "Yes."

"Thank you."

With a smile like as bright as a search-light Kathrin explained Stephen and Claus the various other colors. Like green which stands for gentleness and caring or brown - sturdiness and resolve. Stephen also learned that white was their mourning-color instead of black. They only used black as a base to bring out other colors.

Stephen had an idea. Carefully he placed the painted stones to the side and made a bit of place on the desk. He picked Kathrin up and sat her down in front of him.

"Close your eyes."

Kathrin did as she was told and felt something brush over her fur. A few times she was asked to stand up and turn and Stephen stood up once and was gone for a few minutes.

As she was allowed to open her eyes again she looked directly into a mirror. Her fur was covered in green and blue swirls with a few accents in yellow and red.

Kathrin was so happy she nearly cried.

For minutes she simply stared in the mirror, admiring herself. Gathering the blue, yellow and red pots, Kathrin wanted to return the favor.

In the end Stephen's face was painted upon. Thick stripes in each color were on the sides of his face, thinning out into his hair. Below his eyes a blue-yellow stripe, which mixed in the middle to green, run down his cheeks and on his forehead he had a red paw.

To the dismay of Claus, the red cloak got a few flecks in brown and lilac. They took a picture together.

Stephen had to thinks about their paint job in New York, sorcerers covered in paint, laughing.

But the wall was white.

A unhappy color for Kathrin but she still painted with them happily. A very crazy idea stuck in his head. Wong would either find it funny or would be very angry.

Time to be a child.

* * *

The cloak flew back on Stephen's shoulders and he motioned Kathrin to jump up. He took the pots with the primary colors - red, blue and yellow - and opened a portal to New York. Carefully he looked through and snuck around a corner. Shooing Kathrin off his shoulders he postet Claus as a guard.

He started with blue. At first he dipped his finger in, before shrugging and putting his whole hand in the color. In wide, arcs he smeared over the white wall. Kathrin helped Stephen to make red dots in various sizes.

Steps. Someone was coming.

Fast, the Cloak flew back to him and Kathrin jumped on his shoulder. Last minute Stephen opened the yellow pot and threw the paint against the wall. The sorcerer who came and saw the...art only and the disappearing sparkles from the portal.

* * *

The trio stood laughing in the woods. It was the place were Kathrin and Claus had kidnapped Stephen. The rising sun shone through the lush greenery.

It was a feeling at first, an anxious feeling. It grew in Kathrin's chest, giving her a feeling of near suffocating. She inhaled forcefully and the pressure was gone. Stephen who saw her struggle was on his knees beside her.

In front of them was a light. It rotated and started sparkling. Growing in size it formed a portal. A stone wall and a four-legged creature were on the other side. A male voice was calling out:

"The Hunter was gone long. The All-Knowing calls for the Returner."

Kathrin stared in shock to the portal and started to cry.

"Y-You are alive Lance! I thought Mortis g-got you..."

Stephen picked up confused the crying cat, not caring about paint. By the way Kathrin reacted she knew the cat on the other side. It was for Kathrin a portal home.

"Wait for me Lance! Stephen, Stephen! I can go home, I have a way home. Come on, I show you around. You will see the others, the All-Knowing and the paint on the walls."

Stephen didn't really had to think about it. Writing a short message to Wong: _Found Kathrin's home. Be back in four days tops._

He stepped with Kathrin on his arms through the portal and ended in a cave. Stephen could stand comfortable upright but he could not jump without hitting his head. Kathrin wiggled out of his arms and greeted the grey cat - Lance - in front of them.

"Lance, this is Supreme Sorcerer Steph- Doctor Stephen Strange from Midgard, part of the Yggdrasil. He helped me a lot and gave me a place to stay-."

"Kathrin I think you are talking to fast."

"The guest is right. Lance does not keep up with the Shields talking pace. Shield adepted to a quite strange pattern. It is better when the Shield and the Guest are going to the All-Knowing telling their story."


	26. the Knowledge of home

Hello everyone,

 **welcome to the home of Kathrin!**

I'm really happy at the moment guys, the story has now 25 Follower (a really big thing for me, no other story of mine did that so far) and 50 reviews - I can't thank you enough. Extra long chap for you.

* * *

Stephen looked around. The massive cave had a diameter of, he guessed, a hundred meter and had a high ceiling. Flecks of bioluminescent grass illuminated the hundreds of white paws littered all over the walls and floor. Reddish ones surrounded a heavy door but Lance led them into the only connecting hallway on the other side of the cave. The deeper they got in, the more colorful the paintings got and the smaller the hallway shrunk. What gave Stephen an uncomfortable feeling was the total silence. Nothing else besides their nearly nonexistent _tap-tap-tap_ from their steps was heard and they met no-one else. From the things Kathrin had told, he thought that everything was much more lively with small cats running around.

Now crawling on all four to avoid hitting his head Stephen started to ask _"Where are the others."_ but after the first word the echo came back tenfold. It was so powerful that he felt the small vibrations in the floor. Kathrin, just like Lance hit him with a paw. She stared at him and he needed a moment to understand what she wanted to tell him. Even if she was unhappy about him talking, her primary message was something else. At first quiet but louder with each call the volume of the voice in his head increased.

"Stephen, Stephen you have to use your head."

What?

Everything crashed down on him. Voices that laughed, voiced that sung songs he never heard. It was a whole orchestra of sounds.

"S...S-...en. St...hen. Stephen! Concentrate!"

His mind screamed help and everything went silent.

Only to begin again a furry of questions about his whereabouts and his condition. Stephen guessed that he heard Kathrin screaming everyone to shut up but his mind was overwhelmed.

* * *

The first thing he registered was, that he was sitting, then came the soothingly rubbing of his temples by Claus and the pointy stone behind his right shoulder.

Kathrin was sitting on his lap, looking worried to him and Lance blocked a horde of grey furred mini cats from coming to him.

"Stephen, you are with us?"

"Yes, what happened?"

"In all my happiness about my way home, I forgot to tell you that we - outside of a few selected caves - only talk mentally. The echo we would produce would be enough to damage our hearing and collapse, in the worst case, the whole tunnel system."

He heard in his mind a few whispers.

"Are those whispers in my head the cats over there?"

She nodded:

"You're good."

Stephen opened his mouth to use his actual voice but Kathrin hurriedly put a paw over it, sighing softly.

"Ok, not _that_ good. What you have to do is keep your mouth closed – that is the first step. As long as you do that nothing bad can happen. You did it unknowingly already but if you want to talk to someone you have to think of him while thinking what you want to say."

Stephen shifted into a more comfortable position and rubbed his shoulder.

"I don't understand what you mean, thinking double is impossible."

"It is like….Remember when we walked though the city and that bulky human male ran into you? You said nothing but your thought _ass, look where you are going_ was loud and clear. In that kind of way, just maybe less insulting."

He simply nodded and wanted to try it out. Looking over to Lance who was still blocking the way he tried a: "Hello Lance, can you hear me?"

To his surprise Lance turned his head to him and answered.

"Yes, Lance can hear the Guest. Please be a bit quieter, the Guest is a loud communicator."

The mass of furballs behind him was swooning; apparently he had a very nice and unique thought-voice. With a tap on his chest Kathrin got his attention.

"For the last point: The more you take in your surroundings, the more you will hear. So if you do not want to have a headache keep your interest by yourself. Stephen, if you feel alright we now will go the last bit to the All-Knowing."

Kathrin got off his lap and headed into Lance's direction. Collecting his thought and petting lightly the Cloak he crawled after them. Like bodyguards the two cats kept the others from approaching and cleared a path for him. The other cats were really tiny, the average one would fit easily in one of his hands.

As the hallway got even smaller Stephen threw a glance in Kathrin's direction but she reassured him that the All-Knowing was only a few meters ahead. It wasn't a lie but he still had to lay on his stomach to get through the last part.

Compared to the cave now, the cave he arrived in was a laugh. But what was more impressive was the cat inside. It had the size of a whale. He felt as small as an ant. Her form reminded him of Kathrin's grown version but her chest hair was nearly all feathers and where Kathrin's light grey swirls would be were gems in all colors of the rainbow. The glowing grass reflected in them resulting a disco-ball effect and bringing the massive paintings on the walls to life. As she moved her head gracefully to greet them the gems tingled like a chime.

Stephen lost himself in her eyes. They had the same color like any other cat here but they were two gigantic soul mirrors. But unlike the others', they told a story about many years of pain, hurt and loneliness. The All-Knowing's eyes looked _old_.

At his sides Lance and Kathrin bowed and he quickly did the same. The All-Knowing smiled gently.

"Stand up, I always tell you there is no need for a bow. It's nice to have you back my Shield and greetings to you Dr. Stephen Strange."

* * *

Lance wrinkled his nose a bit as he noticed that the All-Knowing could talk in the same twisted way as the human Stephen did and now like the Shield too. He didn't trust the stranger but the paint, even a bit smeared, on him spoke otherwise. Shield held her deepest trust for him and would take any blame that would fall upon him what stated her paw on his forehead. – That still didn't mean that he liked Stephen. What kind of long title did he had anyway? _Super Sorcerer_ …whatever. What worried Lance the most was his size. Much to his dismay the All-Knowing didn't gave him the power-form, like the Shield possessed. That person could harm him by simply stepping on him! He was normally the one who had to look out not to fall over someone. If he couldn't harm him, why was he the Lance anyway? He should have been Armor or better, or even weaker, the Voice – those positions are free now he thought sarcastically. Feeling unwanted he excused himself and went to his counterpart Sword.

The male cat laid on his right side, still in the healing cave. Sword was barely alive after the chase of Mortis. Now he was missing a left ear and eye – his whole left side was severely damaged. They feared for his left hider-leg, if he could ever walk with it again he would hobble for the rest of his life. It was a puzzle for Lance why the All-Knowing granted some of the Protectors the power-form and some not. Just because he hadn't one, Sword protected him and got nearly killed.

Sword, feeling Lance's dark mood reached out, the best possible in his position, with a paw. Lance snapped out of his thoughts and snuggled his face into the others fur.

* * *

They watched Lance leave, the All-Knowing with a sad expression.

"Please, excuse him. Life has been hard to Lance, his mate got nearly killed as they chased my mistake."

Kathrin looked pained and guilty: "Who else made it home? I wasn't able to catch Mortis."

Her expression got even darker as she felt her unspoken _and killed him_. Just like a mother the All-Knowing was, she noticed Kathrin's mood immediately.

"Besides Lance and Sword? No one. Don't blame yourself Shield or should I say Kathrin…?"

"Kathrin."

"It's all my fault. I had sent you out to correct one of my own mistakes and now you feel the dark urge too. I think it is easier if I tell you everything from the beginning. It may answer all of your Questions too Stephen. Come to me and sit down."

Stephen simply followed Kathrin who jumped atop of the All-Knowing's gigantic paws and sat down. The cats who were also in the cave cleared the room after one command.

The All-Knowing looked hurt, really hurt and collected her thoughts a few times over before she started.

"As Kathrin knows, I see everything. I know everything you three did and experienced. – It's a nice collar by the way, red and gold suites her but I divagate. As I said I know everything, hence my name, and I know that you stumbled across the question about what she actually is. You did solve that quite accurate, there are only a few things missing to see the whole picture. Besides me, everyone here is a soul."

Kathrin inhaled sharply and Stephen pulled her onto his lap.

"The surface of this planet is completely destroyed and uninhabitable. Those few I couldn't stop from leaving died instantly as soon as they went through the fourth door. Despite the belief that Mortis was part of the destruction, he was too young and too innocent to participate in the bloodshed. The secret lays in your size Kathrin. Like the few others as tall as you, you were born on the surface. During the fights I had the task to hide with a few Younglings in the caves and here I found those gems, they can store energy. While I waited a long time for someone to get us out I charged the first ones. Then as my mate came to me to warn me to never go to the surface again because they were testing weapons. Enemies had followed him but the energy I had stored were enough for a magic blast to send them off. With his help I build up our homes under the surface and stored more and more energy. One day he did not return from a scouting round…"

The All-Knowing rolled a tear down, making a loud splat on the floor due to its size. She needed a moment to continue.

"They had finished a weapon of mass destruction, protection they had said. It went off _accidentally_ and infested the air. I closed the gates too late, ten in total. The magic I collected at the time kept me alive but the younglings died. I tell you there is nothing worse than being alone so I preserved the souls of the young ones. Decades, I spend collecting energy and gave it to the souls making them into spirits. To my happiness none of them, you, remembered anything and I raised you like my own children."

Kathrin spoke up on the edge of crying.

"I love you mother."

The smile of the All-Knowing was worth more than any kind of jewelry. She bended her head down and Kathrin grew and met her halfway. Kathrin was only as tall as the All-Knowing's nose but the sight was sweeter than all puppies of the world together.

"I have to thank you Stephen, you took care of my dear Kathrin. She was always one, who wanted to see more and you made it possible."

The sorcerer stood up and held his hand against the nose.

"I helped her, just like she helped me."

After a while of cuddling the All-Knowing continued with her story:

"Well, the young ones grew and I did too. The more energy I stored the larger I got. To slow the process down I began to use the energy to create others, giving them their own life. That's was the start of the community we are now. To keep the spirits from turning against against each other, I created and still constantly uphold a tight magical net around them. They would be invisible to any other soul and their kill instincts dulled to a nearly no-existence. Kathrin, you were at the outer range and those wolves severed some of the strings that hold you to this net. I fixed it and the Lighters did a good job too but your mind now knows, even if you do not feel the urge."

"Thank you for telling me. … That still does not answer why Mortis tried to ki– hunt us all."

The All-Knowing sighed and looked in the distance.

"Mortis, the Knowledge, was curious why I, just like you while grown, had feathers in the pelt. It was an innocent question and the evolution had an answer. Our Ancestors of old had wings, at least that is what our storybooks tell. But in his explorations he found a seemingly collapsed hallway. I had buried the bodies of the young behind there. Sadly, I don't know what snapped in him. His hold on the net was gone in a heartbeat and he went rampage. I could not kill him, he was one of my young and only because I withheld information he shouldn't be punished. I locked him away and visited him quite often but I grew too large for the tunnels and was forced to leave him alone. The rest you know. A young one had freed him."

The All-Knowing hung her head in shame and no one had words to answer.

A melody sounded and the others came back. Like a sea of grey they started to surround the All-Knowing who sat like a sphinx statue and pressed into her fur to sleep. Kathrin pulled the sorcerer to her favorite spot right below the heart of the All-Knowing. Seven above-the-average but still-smaller-than-the-protector sized cats approached, two laid down besides Kathrin – Aspis and Skutum – and another asked for Lance whom they couldn't find.

The All-Knowing continued to hum the melody and sleep took over. Stephen felt content like a child whose parents brought him to bed and had waited till he was in the realm of dreams.


	27. fixture to an old end

Stephen didn't knew what awoke him. He was laying on his side, Cloak over him and he felt faintly the calm heartbeat of the All-Knowing. In his arm's reach was Kathrin sleeping safe and sound with, when he remembered correctly, Aspis and Skutum who both were short-haired with longer facial hair, at her side.

It was a peaceful sight with all the cute sleeping creatures around him but he had a bad feeling. Sitting up he looked into the biggest tunnel from the total fifteen, squinting his eyes. Despite the size of it, it was darker than any other and the edges had deep scratch marks. The Cloak went back to his shoulders, equally alert. Very stiff with its collar up like ears of a waiting dog.

Soft light from the grass.

Soft snoring all around.

Soft fur behind him.

Soft…vibrations?

It was so faint at first that Stephen thought he imagined that, but it grew – a mighty roar echoed through the whole tunnel-system, resonating in the halls and caves, turning into a thunderous vocal ensemble. Hundreds of small cats jumped to their feet, confused by the sound or pressed their self close to the floor, covering ears. Kathrin was up and grown instantly between the All-Knowing and the big hallway. Now very muscular-bulky, only a bit smaller than Kathrin, were the Shield's duo at her sides and to their sides five more. The All-Knowing looked sad and angry at the same time into the same direction, growling quiet. She stood up and everyone hurried to stand right below her. A bit lost Stephen stood at her left paw and couldn't suppress the small shudder as he heard the echoes of collapsing caves and the cries for help in his head. Confusion and fear were the main emotions from all around him.

After endless minutes the noise died down. Parts of the ceiling were laying on the floor, some of them big enough to crush Stephen. The All-Knowing took command.

"Mortis is here. The Shield has to go and stop the Danger. Kontos and Haie shall accompany the Shield until the others arrive. Mail, Tenor, Sopran, take volunteers and safe as many as possible from the tunnels – Mail, hand out a gem per Fighter beforehand. The All-Knowing stays here and looks after the Young and Small, after those who can not fight."

She bend down to Stephen and pleaded:

"Can you help us please Stephen?"

He nodded.

"Thank you. We still have wounded in the healing caves.; Aspis and Skutum would protect you and show you the way. Please evacuate them."

Feeling more confident he answered _I will_ and ran after the duo who was already ahead of him.

 _Stephen._

He stopped abruptly and turned around. Looking eye to eye with Kathrin now, he saw the whirlwind of emotions in the green orbs. Before she could say anything Mail, a mid-tall cat with very long fur, interrupted. He gave a blue gem to Stephen and pressed a red one in Kathrin's chest-fur. As fast as he came, he was gone.

"Stephen I-,"

Someone called _hurry_.

"- stay alive."

With that, she and two others disappeared in the big tunnel which now gave off the feeling of being a huge maw, ready to eat anything. Skutum collected Stephen and led him with Aspis into another tunnel on his right. As long as he looked out for a few lower ceiling parts and a few stones on the floor he could ran normally without hitting his head. They made a left and a right turn and they felt the small vibration again, spurring them on to even greater speed. Before he could run out of breath the Cloak picked him up and flew him fast behind the duo. The vibrations increased and another roar came. In the tunnels it was even worse than in the cave and he pressed his hands on his ears to dull the sound. Aspis and Skutum where whining mentally and pressed the ears flat to the their heads, never stopping. Dirt fell atop of them and would have buried them alive with stones if they would've stood still. After another sharp left turn they stood in a normal sized cave and the way behind them collapsed completely. In the cave were flat stones covered with moss and a few cats, mostly taller than the average, were laying hurt on them. In the middle stood Lance as imitating and strong as possible in his small form.

Lance was cursing loudly. The echo couldn't effect them too harmfully now, they were utterly closed off. There were four tunnels leading to the healing caves all of them collapsed. Stephen walked to him and asked about the situation.

"What is the Guest doing here? No one is in critical condition but none are good enough to fight Mortis. It is a trap. No way out but many ways for Mortis in. Go back to where the Guest comes from, it is not the Guest's fight."

"I-, Stephen is here to fight alongside you..."

Stephen stopped, Lance gave him the perfect idea. He was able to open a portal too. Pulling his sling-ring off the belt, Stephen moved his hand in the familiar circular motion.

Instantly, Lance went into a defense position as he saw the sparkling ring. For a moment he thought Stephen a traitor but then he saw, for him unknown, furniture and another human in the same otherworldly clothes as the Guest.

"Jannik, can you hear me?"

"Oh, hi Stephen. Everyone is searching for you and Wong is complaining about grey hair."

"He has no hair-"

"Touché."

"I need you to get your brother. Here are a few injured cats that need evacuation. Questions later."

Jannik went out of the circle-sight and Stephen turned to Lance.

"We can get the injured to my home. They will be cared and safe there."

Even if Lance didn't trusted Stephen fully his protests died down as Sword agreed. With joined hands - or paw - the injured were moved on the bed in the room within a few minutes. Stephen had to smile lightly as saw Lance fussing over Sword until he pawed him in the face.

The four plus Cloak were now alone in the healing caves; a small rumbling let them turn around. The stones which filled one of the collapsed tunnels turned black. Hissing angrily they melted away like ice on a hot stone. Shadows shot in, surrounding them. Bodies formed out of them like they were pulled by someone into something resembling a cat. Dead red eyes and dark clouds around them.

 _Oh shit._

That were exactly the thoughts of Stephen and his partners. They looked similar to the shadow-wolves, moved similar and reeked similar. It was a fact he learned during his fight against them. And now he knew he could do nothing against them. Opening a portal, he pushed the cats though and closed it barely before the shadow-cats followed.

* * *

Kathrin didn't look back. She had wanted to tell Stephen how grateful she was for the time she had with him and Claus and how much their friendship meant to her. For now, it was a task for later. Kontos and Haie were strong fellows and worked normally under the strict but fair lead of Lance. Aspis and Skutum were her students and there were no others who she could trust with guarding Stephen and Claus.

Uncomfortable warm was the gem at her chest, its power surrounding her keeping her awake and alert but they also awoke the dark in her. She wanted to _kill_ Mortis.

Mortis himself did not hide, she could easily follow his scent even if she had to make a small detour thanks to collapsed tunnels. His once grey fur was raven black and looked like it had a life of its own. His statue was tall and lanky but oozed of confidence and power.

"Mortis has waited for he Shield. The only one last standing."

Kathrin tried to mirror the strong stance and raised her voice.

"It is not only me Mortis. Sword and Shield are still here, just like-."

"Sword survived? Mortis is surprised but for now the Sword is useless, with Sword will be dealt later and the weakling of Lance? Lance is nothing."

Kathrin was angry, beyond angry. She could live with insults but no one talked bad about her friends!

"Don't you dare to insult them you-"

Mortis started laughing wickedly and took a deep breath to shook the tunnel-system with a deafening roar. Falling debris and dirt came down, making Kathrin jump from side to side to dodge. With tearing eyes, coughing she looked for Mortis. In his position was a pile of stones. Behind her Haie searched desperately for her counterpart.

Maniac laughing revealed Mortis after he shook himself, below the stone pile.

"Does the Fool see true power? This is true power! How long did the All-Knowing controlled the Fools. I am power!"

Mortis shadow below him grew, exploded into all directions and disappeared through the tunnels. If there was no way, the shadows made one. The fur of Mortis danced up like wild flames and formed into a pair of black wings.

"So foolish."

He attacked without a warning. Kathrin huffed heavily as Mortis ran into her. Teeth snapped loudly as he tired to bite her throat. She lashed out wildly, trying to shake him off. To her horror, the black cat didn't bled. With each hit he took a black substance started to coat her fur. With each attack the fight grew wilder. Kontos laid unmoving on the sidelines and Haie got smacked into a nearby stone like a fly, unmoving.

Desperately Kathrin tried to access the power of her stone, but Mortis hit her square in the chest, destroying the gem and sending its pieces everywhere like a morbid snowstorm.

Without any power enhancements, Kathrin knew she was no match for Mortis.

Die trying.

She squared her shoulder, looked in defiant in the eyes of death. Laughing, blaring white teeth Mortis jumped forward.

"Shield!"

Surprised, Kathrin looked to the side and saw Lance ramming into Mortis. A yellow gems was on his forehead and its energy coated him like body-armor.

"Lance understands now. It is not the size, it is the _heart_ that matters."

She only stared at the fight. Like a bee Lance sped around the thrice as tall Mortis, attacking tirelessly. The goo that resembled Mortis blood simply fell off him as soon as it hit the yellow energy surrounding him.

* * *

They fell in front of the All-Knowing's paws. Lance looked to him scandalized.

"Why did the Guest left? Together these creatures are no match for us."

Stephen shook his head. "No, they would've killed us instantly. I was not prepared for them. Give me a moment and I'll be back."

"What?"

"The Guest gets something."

With that Stephen stepped though a portal to London while Kontos and Aspis ran into another tunnel.

The headband Stephen searched for was still on the armrest on the sofa where he had left it. Jannuk found him before Stephen had time to go back. He carried a bag and a bandaged Sword, who looked much more alive than before.

"We will accompany you. Jannik takes care of the wounded here, I'll help on the other side."

Jannuk didn't took a no as an answer and came out of the portal right behind Stephen. The All-Knowing had greeted him and thanked him for his and his twins work. On the other had, Lance grumbled about another human being there but he was silent as soon as he saw Sword. Jannuk had placed him carefully on the ground and he wobbled with tiny steps to Lance. Meeting halfway, Lance sniffed all over his mate.

"Sword should be resting! Do not overdo it Sword."

Sword chuckled at the antics of Lance. He may act like a grumpy but was a softy at heart. A small cat came over and handed Sword a small yellow gem. Taking it carefully, he pressed it lovingly on Lance's forehead.

"Do not worry. Sword is only here to make sure Lance is prepared. Make Sword proud and fight for him."

"But Lance is too small."

"When was it ever a problem?"

Wide-eyed Lance looked to the other cat.

"Save us Lance."

He simply nodded, not trusting his voice. Lance ran up to Stephen, tipped against him and motioned to follow. Now following sound and scent, Lance knew where Kathrin – and with that Mortis – was. A pile of rubble forced them to stop.

There was however, a small gap at the top. Stephen helped to pull down a few stones. As it was big enough the sorcerer helped him up and he squeezed through. He wanted to help, he wanted to protect. A gentle warmth covered his head, over the body until his paws and the end of his tail. Looking down he saw his legs covered in a soft yellow glow. It's not that he felt powerful – strong, yes, but not powerful. It was the knowledge of not being alone that fueled his spirit. There was someone waiting for him to come back to.

As Lance heard the shattering sound of something he ran. He didn't thought about it as he rammed Mortis to prevent an attack against Kathrin. Tired, with all the black in her fur, she looked beaten. He fights for Sword, he fights for Shield. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Haie and Kontos – he fights for them too.

Kathrin helped now too, giving Mortis no time to focus on one alone. Growling, Mortis jumped out between the two breathing heavily. Like ying and yang Shield and Lance stood side by side. Tall and small. Dark and light. Strength and agility.

To the confusion of the two, Mortis grinned, a very wicked, evilly grin.

"This is better, than I dreamed it could be!"

* * *

Stephen and Claus worked on the stone pile, blocking the path. Would he knew, where he had to be he could port but he didn't. They had to do it the old-fashioned way. Aspis and Skutum, who had disappeared, came with a few other cats in tow, helping.

As the hole was big enough, Stephen crawled through. Skutum followed him, Aspis brought the others back to the All-Knowing. It was easy to follow the trashing sounds of battle. They rounded the corner and heard Kathrin's cry for help. Stephen didn't recognized her at first covered in black but he recognized the green eyes. Mortis stood smiling in front of them and Lance, now covered in yellow, stood worried beside her. Kathrin was hissing, buckling, mewing. She shook her head wild from side to side, her hackles rising. Was she in pain?

Stopping, she stared with a grimace to Mortis. Her green eyes flickered – to red!

"Snap out of it Kathrin!"

She blinked and ran uncoordinated to attack Mortis. He made a simple step to the side. Charging again, Mortis used his wing to flip her aside. With a yelp, she hit stone and stopped moving.

"Kathrin!"

"Shield!"

Stephen secured the bandage around his neck and Claus' collar and attacked. Together cat and sorcerer held Mortis at bay.

The room was darkening. Shadows drew circles around them like hungry sharks. Only Stephen's magic and Lance's glow illuminated bits of the cave.

Like a nightmare red eyes followed every move and Mortis laughing mocked them.

From one moment to the other, everything went silent, red eyes disappearing like a switched off lamp. Leg to cat-back Lance and Stephe looked around for the threat. Nothing.

They waited.

Still nothing.

Stephen swung shield and whip around to get a better view of their surroundings. Haie and Kontos were gone. Skutum was covered in wounds, barely standing besides an unconscious, small Kathrin.

"Help!"

The All-Knowing! Mortis used the chance to hit where it really hurts. He gathered Kathrin and Skutum up in his arms and followed Lance whom had already started running out.

The small passageway was awkward with Kathrin pressed to his chest – Skutum did the part on his own – and slowed them down a bit. As they finally arrived at the main cave, the All-Knowing stood protectively in front of a tunnel and Lance with only a handful of others in front of her.

Due to her size, the All-Knowing was an easy target. Between protecting those behind her, supporting those in front of her and keeping a barrier up for herself her energy was draining and it was draining _fast_. Gems fell out of her fur, shattering on the floor.

Mortis stood there proudly and let the shadows do his job for him. Stephen laid the cats in his arms gently on the ground of the tunnel and joined the fight.

In the middle it felt like fighting a sea full of black mass. Stephen hit a hole through, went two steps and the dark goo closed itself. Sometimes he saw a glimpse of Lance or another cat but he was fighting mostly by himself. The Cloak pulled him sometimes to the side, but the shadows weren't strong, they only were extremly many.

Stephen stumbled out of the shadows in front of Mortis. The Cloak on his shoulders swung tense from side to side like the tail of a hunting cat and was ready to pull Stephen out of harm's way at any time. Mortis stood with his nose held high and wings spread but it was clear to see that they only were a symbol of power. He never had wings before and the lack of their usage made it damn obvious.

"The human wants to fight Mortis, how petty. Do you want to annoy, Mortis until he gives in voluntarily?"

"I actually ready did that once successfully."

"Pfft."

Mortis jumped at him and recoiled at Stephen's bubble barrier.

"Ho? The human can more than it seems."

Stephen did not answer the taunt and lashed out with the whip. The two – three – opponents circled each other and lashed out in a dark dance. The barrier unbreakable, the agility too fast for any kind of hit.

Out of the black something small jumped atop of Mortis biting down in his neck. It was completely black with a red eye – and a green one! A tag on a collar tingled softly because of the struggling movements.

It was Kathrin.

Mortis roared in anger, letting dirt and stones rain. Lance joined in, pulling and scratching at the wings. Between the two of them and a good placed whiplash Mortis was pinned down to the floor by his wings. His tail twitched like an angry snake, teeth fledged and claws searching for foothold.

Lance half muffled, half screamed:

"Do-w i-ht no'w!"

"Yes, do it know and the human's precious friend will die."

Stephen stopped and Mortis continued with a renewed wicked smile.

"The human destroys Mortis, destroys the shadows and destroys his best friend in one go. She is too much of a shadow to not die with Mortis."

"I am not a shadow!"

Kathrin dug her claws in deeper.

"Do not dare to call me one of your tools. I am myself. I am a Shield, I am a friend, **I am Kathrin**. You have no control over me! Stephen do it now and end it once and for all."

Stephen looked to the floor as his whip hit the head of Mortis. Any form made out of shadow fell to the floor like water and flowed together. Where Mortis had been, was now a pitch black stone which sucked the shadows up like a sponge.

Just like Mortis had said, Kathrin wasn't unaffected. She cried, rolled in pain on the floor and Stephen rushed to her side. The more the shadows retreated out of her fur, the heavier and shallower her breathing got. By the time all shadows were gone, she wasn't more than a ghost form pressed to the sorcerers chest.

The All-Knowing, nearly bare of any gems, with dark circles under her eyes, laid her head down besides Stephen. She dipped her head to the side so her left ear came into reach were one red gem was still left. Kathrin shook weakly her head.

"D-do not…do this mother. You are drained… any more and my siblings won't live."

Lance and Sword laid their heads in the lap of the sitting sorcerer. Skutum, Mail, Sopran, Tenor and even the reappeared Haie and Kontos tried to get as close as possible.

Stephen was sitting in a sea of grieving cats.

"You know Stephen…"

He stopped his hand which had stroked through her fur.

"It is the best goodbye ever…I mean everyone is here. And now I will be a star. You look up, I will be there. Everywhere you need me."

A tear rolled down Stephen's cheek and he murmured a quiet _no_. Kathrin's form was fading further and further. Jannuk wasn't able to help her anymore.

Kathrin gave a last happy-sad smile and before she finally dissolved completely the Cloak pushed with one end a light blue gem into the fading form. It glowed up brightly and a magic circle appeared below Stephen. As the light was gone Stephen held a beautiful, golden chain in his hand with a red band interwove and a small tag hidden between.

* * *

The chain got attached to the Cloak. Around its collar, fixed to the golden wing-like pins. The chain of Strength reinforced the power of the Cloak, making it so strong enough to withstand any kind of attack without a pulled or ripped thread.

Stephen wasn't the last Sorcerer Supreme in history. As he died after a long, full filled and definitely not boring life the artifacts grieved for their former friend and master. After that they helped all different kinds of sorcerers. Old ones, young ones, strong ones, bold ones. But the Chain and the Cloak were always together.

Time lost their names eventually. Claus' name survived in tales far better than Kathrin's but she was always written and remembered by as

 **the Companion of the Cloak.**

* * *

the End


	28. author's notes or out-takes

It's done.

Companion for a Cloak came to an end.

With more than 41k word after ten months I did it.

Well, I think at first is a big thank you round in order.

Thanks to all readers and reviewers with special Thanks to:

 **KarToon12** : She has been an amazing motivation for me. Since the second chapter she reviewed Nearly. _Every. Chapter. I wrote._ I mean it. You were one of the reasons that kept me going. You found me on deviantart too, so I offer you to choose a scene – any scene – and I'll draw it. Not only a sketch, I make a full-out digital-drawing. (might just take a bit of time)

Later on she got joined by **galwidanatitude** , thank you!

And the last one goes to **Mieper** , I know him personally and he is my writing-partner-in-crime. We may write about different things but it's nice to have someone to swap ideas with or to ask about an opinion before uploading things.

 **To the readers:**

What are your favorite/ least favorite chapter? Where could I improve, what shall I leave like it is? And what I am personally really interested in is, which of the OC-side charas did you like the most? I'd be happy about a reply.

* * *

Otherwise now following, I want to share with you ideas I had, things that didn't made it into the story and the reason for why-did-you-do-this-story as another thank you:

 **Kathrin's death:**

I think it's the most burning question you guys have. In the story I have many things that weren't planned or got in last minute. Kathrin's death was one of the first things I set into stone. With the first chap I knew, Kathrin was going to die in the end. I wanted to write a story that had a high chance of fitting in if another Dr. Strange movie will be made, so that meant that the chara had to be either so "small" that he had no meaning in the film or he was gone -dead- by the end of the story.

 **Kathrin herself** :

The funny thing is, I first planned out to make her a _male_ cat. That fact would've been revealed to Stephen when he/she went back home and someone equivalent to a wife awaits him. I mean, the main language of Kathrin barely differs between male and female so he probably wouldn't understand it if Stephen labeled him a "her". I think the "gender-swap" would've made the story more confusing so I left it out. The name Kathrin comes from the German word for cat - _Katze_ \- and the name _Rin_. The _th_ was added to make it easier for english-speaking people to pronounce.

 **Kathrin's people:**

Well, I thought about naming them _Catellin_. But something bothered me with it – still don't know what – and why should a folk that works with titles based on what they do and is alone underground give itself a name?

I don't know if you guessed the basic structure from the story but I had no place, with Mortis attack beforehand, to explain its fully functional. The All-Knowing is obviously the highest ranking based on respect and deep trust. To bring order into the large population of alien cats she has five (all of them "original" Younglings) that work closest to her: Shield, Sword, Lance, Armor and Voice. Everyone of the five as two students, whom could take over the five's places. Not all of them were/are original Younglings but their definitely sized above the average height. Why all of those have at least some kind of self-defense? Underground are more creatures and most of them aren't friendly, story-wise Mortis filled the villain shoes out big enough.

 **Mortis** :

The villain of the story. I thought long about giving him a name but I couldn't kept him calling "the villain". Another variation of the name could've been _Mortimer_ but until you called that name he is either gone or killed you. I believe that nothing is evil by heart so there had to be a reason for him to be like he is. Power and betrayal are strong factors in his personality. Aided by the unstable spirits he, Kathrin and the others are in combination of a shadow gem he fell "to the dark side of the force".

 **Lance (Sword):**

The story needed a touch of a grumpy McCoy (StarTrek). Not everyone can be happy-going 24/7 and eat rainbow-cupcakes for breakfast. His heart is his mate Sword who looked past his grumpy attitude and loves him for whom he is. Sword got injured right before CfaC begins by Mortis, which takes Lances distrust-and-grumpyness level to the edge.

 **Lisa, the antique shop lady:**

She needs to be mentioned. CfaC wasn't my first idea for a Dr. Strange fanfic. Lisa was actually my _first OC_ for the fandom. A younger her would've taught Christine Palmer slowly the way of magic (whom found the shop by accident) to make her understand what Stephen does – a basic get-them-back-together fic. It had too many loose ends I haven't found a solution for so the idea was discarded. Well, not completely because Lisa got her place here with 40 years of age extra.

* * *

 _Story-ideas that didn't made it into the story._

 **Stephen and Christine back together?:**

I am not sure if they should get back together romantically or just as friends. (My only shipping rule: Everything's fine as long as there is a reason for it.) Instead of doing one or the other, I left it open. It's not the focus of the story but they are talking with each other again.

 **An alien bar:**

On one of their dimension travels our trio ends up on another planet in space in a bar. Kathrin would've proofed that she can drink alcohol without getting drunk, that even a Cloak can get attention of Ladies and a possible meeting with the Guardians of the Galaxy with a friendship between Kathrin and Rocket. But I decided against putting any other Marvel-Chara into the story so the idea wasn't developed further.

 **Kathrin and Christine:**

A chapter with just those two. Stephen is busy and Christine visits so the two have a nice evening with various sweet because Kathrin is not familiar with any of them. Sadly I found no place where to put that one in-between so that it really fits.

 **A side-OC chap:**

I planed a chapter with only the side charas I made like Ān, Sebastian, Michael, Natalie… (basically all those introduced in chap 11) and later on with the medic twins Jannik and Jannuk. None of my ideas went over 200 word and neither did I liked them.

 **The shadow-gem:**

The All-Knowing searched for all those power-saving gems. Why not having one so strong that it starts to store the energy of sould turning it into a shadow-gems. In Kathrin's homeworld surely died enough for that.

 **Stephen's homecoming:**

I thought about doing a chap about Stephen's reaction when he is comming home, whith Kathrin now dead. How Wong would fuss over him and the other trying to comfort him, but I wanted to leave the story on this sad note, even if it is not a fairytale ending.

* * *

Random things, to maybe make you chuckle:

– During writing I ate seven cookie-packs, (summed up) two of those thick gouda pieces and a big box of Nappos.

– If I drank something during writing it was mostly milk.

– Most of the chapters were written somewhere between 8 and 11 pm.

– The word I wrote mostly wrong was sorcerer. A hooray for auto-correction.

– I only have chapter names since my 14 one.

– I often wrote a word with an _a_ as second letter wrong because instead of _a_ I hit the button for the capital letters on my phone.

– In one chapter I always wrote Stefan instead of Stephen. Noticed it before uploading though.

\- I always wanted to have at least 1k words per chapter. For a long time the second one didn't apply to that. I fixed a few wording (nothing content-wise!)

– I often hit _z_ instead of _y_. When I use my normal German keyboard on the phone those letters are swapped, don't ask me why.

* * *

What do I do now?

Well… at first a small break until I finally have an ordered timetable. And then come more OC-FFs. I have two ideas for the Legend of Zelda (Oot and BotW) one for Thor with Heimdall in focus, another for Iron Man with implied FrostIron and I have an idea for Sherlock. You see, I have some and those are only the ones further thought through.

 **Hopefully I will see you in another story.**

Kira


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